Weight of the Worlds
by Ken's luver
Summary: Sequel to Revenge Two worlds, one fate. What happens when the destruction or salvation of the worlds rests on Ken Ichijouji's shoulders, and all odds for him to save it are against him? (complete)
1. Trailer

(A/N: Okay, this is the sequel to "Revenge". I highly suggest you read "Revenge" first because it acts as the prolog for this story (though it's not that important if you don't). This first chapter, is not really a chapter, but a taste of things to come. Sort of like a movie trailer. I have taken some pieces out of the story (all 20 chapters of it) and put them here, to get you interested. I have finished the story and will be posting a chapter probably every second or third day. However, I will only post the first chapter when I have at least five reviews for this trailer. I don't care what you say in the review, just as long as there are at least five. The reason for this is because I have worked really hard on this story. It took me two months to finish and another couple of weeks to edit and clean up. I hope you enjoy it! Oh and I suggest you listen to some music that you know gets a climatic point towards the end while reading this. 'Piss it all away' by Puddle of mudd is a very good song to read to. Or even an instrumental song is good.)  
  
"Weight of the Worlds"  
  
'Trailer'  
  
'What happens when one person holds the key to the destruction or the salvation to all the wolds in the palm of his hand? And all odds for him to save it are against him? For Ken Ichijouji, the fight will not be easy.'  
  
She had no choice; she had to reach him before it was too late. Wormmon looked up and frowned, as he gasped, "Ken!"  
  
"The powers of darkness are seductive, Davis and once you have touched them, it's very difficult to get rid of them."  
  
"You hold the Codes to the barriers Ken, that's what Ebonwumon wants, and he'll do anything to get them." – Mae.  
  
Osamu shook his head; "He's a GOD Mae! Not even your power is enough to stop him. How do you honestly think a bunch of kids are going to do it?"  
  
"The Crest of Kindness had a flaw in it! That's why we swore we would never send it out again!" –Ebonwumon.  
  
The adrenaline pumping though them, their hearts drumming on their rib cages, they ran. They had no idea what was after them, but from Mae's reaction, they didn't want to find out.  
  
"He took him Gennai! He took him!" –Mae.  
  
"I'm going to turn you into the Emperor so you can give me those Codes."  
  
"That darkness was already in you Ken, the Dark Spore just increased it by bringing it to the surface!" –Ebonwumon.  
  
"NO!" –Ken.  
  
When Mae turned, the Digidestined noticed that her face was tired and tears were threatening to cascade down her cheeks. She stared at Gennai; "He will turn Ken. He will turn him and then kill him."  
  
"Because of me I have caused the destruction of two worlds and the death of my child!" –Mae.  
  
"KEN!" Wormmon screamed.  
  
"I don't trust you!" –Ken  
  
"I am not asking you to trust me Ken, I'm telling you that if you don't come with me, you will die!" –Mae  
  
But then a tear ran down Ken's cheek. A single crystal tear, "But it's my fault too." He whispered.  
  
"Out there all these bad guys want me to do bad things. I don't want them to. I'm a bad boy and I hurt people. So I stay here and I can't hurt anyone." –Chibi Ken.  
  
Before he could stop it, a dark blue pulse or energy erupted from his hands and shattered the sphere.  
  
"So I hold the weight of the worlds on my shoulders?" –Ken.  
  
She looked at them as if she were in a trance; "Ken has been turned."  
  
"You want a taste of power?" she pulled out the cork and placed the bottle in the Emperor's hands, "So have a sip and tell me if you like it."  
  
"Daemon, long time no see."  
  
"You are falling in love with her aren't you?" –Yolei  
  
"I'm in love with you." –Ken.  
  
"We will rule this world and you cannot stop us." –Emperor.  
  
"Get away from me Yolei! I'll hurt you!" Ken screamed as white lightning started to form between his fingers.  
  
A dark aura surrounded them both, but they didn't notice, and if they did, they welcomed it. They looked up at each other darkly.  
  
Without a word or a chance to react, Ebonwumon sent down a glowing orb, which swallowed Ken and floated back up to the huge Phoenix.  
  
"NO!" they screamed.  
  
Ken yelled out in pain and shut his eyes tight, hoping, praying that he would pass out. Or black out…or die.  
  
'It's the end of everything.' She thought grimly to herself.  
  
"I'm scared Yolei." Ken said into her shoulder, muffling his voice, "I'm so scared."  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ken's voice broke from screaming and he rushed to Yolei's limp body.  
  
Ken looked at the world around him and in a sudden burst, every warp and ripple exploded with a bright white flash. And the real world and Digital world started to flow into each other like a transparency overlapping the one over the other. All the horrors of the Dark Ocean were present as well, and the dark sea spread over the sky.  
  
"Kariiii! Be our queen!"  
  
"NO!" –Kari.  
  
"NO!" TK yelled.  
  
They all stood there, all together, ready to fight. To fight to the end it that's what it took.  
  
Pink lightning danced between Ken's fingers as he hovered in the sky and the light surrounded him like an aura. It shot out and sealed the rips.  
  
Ebonwumon and Azulongmon had prepared an attack at the same time. Both attacks flew through the air, in a rush to strike their target first. In a second of impacting with each other, the attacks seem to freeze in time before colliding and causing a massive explosion. They all shielded their eyes from the blinding white flash and flew backwards when the pulse of energy blasted them.  
  
"Weight of the Worlds."  
  
-Ken's luver. 


	2. Dreams and voices

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, I do own Mae and any other characters that I made up. If you want you can use them with my permission, though, why you would want to is beyond me. ^-^ (A/N: Okay this story is dedicated to Gaia Lao, Sylvyr Elf, Emu, MysticalBlackFairy, and everyone else who reviewed "Revenge". This story is also for Angst Gurl, Heath 999, Blue-Jin and Talen Avalon! Thanks for the reviews. Gaia Lao (big thanks to you!), I am using Ebonwumon as the phoenix (as that will be clear just now). I haven't seen season 3 of Digimon, but I've read up about it and Gaia Lao gave me info. The rest I just assumed as to what they (Ebonwumon and the D-Reaper) were like. Please don't flame me for getting it wrong, it's my fic and this is how I want things to go. I hope you enjoy it!!! Now on with the story. Oh yeah and all my stories are dedicated to Shmeilia Rockie who got me inspired to start writing! Thanks girl, I suggest you read her stories! They are stunning and changed my perspective on Davis!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 1. 'Dreams and voices'  
  
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Ken! Happy birthday to you!"  
  
Ken Ichijouji hung and shook his head, embarrassed as he blew out the seventeen brightly-lit candles on his birthday cake. His mother beamed as his father took a photograph and his friends clapped.  
  
Yolei leaned forward; "There better only be on lit candle after you are done." she teased.  
  
He drew in a deep breath and blew hard at the small flames. Two candles remained lit. Kari giggled as Yolei huffed, "So what's her name Ken? I have a right to know who you are seeing on the side!"  
  
Still speechless, Ken just shook his head and shrugged.  
  
The evening silently moved into night and the six friends sat around in their sleeping bags in the TV area, talking, laughing, reminiscing of their days in the Digital world.  
  
"I miss Gatomon." Kari sighed as they discussed the final battle with Malomyotismon.  
  
Ken heaved a big sigh and looked down, "Yeah, I really miss Wormmon. I can't believe it was only four years ago that the port closed."  
  
TK leaned over for the bowl of popcorn, "I wander if we'll ever be needed again, or new Digidestined will be called."  
  
"Well, we are still pretty young right? And the others could still enter the Digital World when the port was open, so if it does open again, I'm sure we'll be the ones called." Said Cody.  
  
"Can we please stop discussing this and watch the movie." Davis moaned.  
  
"What's the matter Davis?" Yolei vexed, "I thought you missed your days as leader of the Digidestined!"  
  
"Shut up Yolei, I just miss Veemon, that's all."  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
Davis, though still his outgoing, carefree-self, had matured considerably over the years. Though him and Yolei hadn't really changed that much at all, they now knew when enough was enough.  
  
The movie watched, the popcorn finished, they decided two AM was a good time to turn in. Though when Ken settled himself into a slumber, he was not expecting to awake an hour later, drenched in a cold sweat, panting hard from a dream that seemed so real, so frightening and so terribly real. He glanced around him; he hadn't woken Yolei, Davis or any of the others. Good. That was all he needed now, for his friends to start worrying about him again, now that he was so happy, even without Wormmon in his life now days this was really the happiest he had been in years. Stealthily, he entered the bathroom, wiped his face with a cool cloth and snuggled back into his warm, sleeping bag. Brushing the indigo hair out of his eyes, he drifted once again into the world of sleep.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Deep with in the forest of the Digital World, a humanoid figure was running hard and fast. A destination clear in her mind. Her waist length, wavy brown hair flew behind her while she ran. The wind tugged at her long flowing; emerald green dress with every pounding step. Her bare feet ached now, but she pressed on. She had no choice; she had to reach him before it was too late. She came to a clearing, her slanted, striking green eyes darting all around for a TV set, but found non, so she took off again, disappearing into the dark night, the shadows devouring her, until her flowing skirt could no longer be seen. (A/N: *Slanted like Ken and Cody's)  
  
Wormmon poked his head out of the bushes he was sleeping under. His blue orbs boring into the dark passage where Mae had been seconds before. He frowned and gasped, "Ken."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
No one could argue with you if you said 'History is the most boring lesson of the day', and for Ken and his friends, the feeling was mutual. Though this was not the reason Ken Ichijouji was snoozing on his desk. For the past few nights, he had not being sleeping well at all, waking in the dead of night to desperate and frightening nightmares. Though when he tried to recall what they were about, he found he had no recollection of the images that filled his head during these dreams.  
  
Yolei slowly leaned over to her boyfriends' desk and tapped him on the shoulder. She became concerned when he did not stir or even show the slightest reaction that he had felt her touch. She examined his face, noticing the rapid eye movement beneath the soft pale lids and the deep frown forming on his brow, she shook him more vigorously this time, where he woke with a start and gasped, "Mae!"  
  
He looked around and then at the lavender haired girl next to him. She seemed to be angry; "Who's Mae?"  
  
Though Ken had joined this public high school with his friends, the teachers found that he was still exceptionally smart and so moved him up a grade. He didn't argue with them, because this meant that he could be in all most all his classes with his girlfriend, Yolei.  
  
After class, while walking to the cafeteria, Yolei insisted upon questioning Ken about his dream and this 'Mae' person. Eventually he became so tired of it, he turned to her and replied, "Look Yolei, I don't remember what the dream was about alright, but what I do know is that Mae is not my mistress!"  
  
"No," snickered Davis as he pushed between the two lovebirds, "for him to have a mistress, he has to be married to you, Mae is just the girl he is two-timing you with."  
  
Ken glowered at his best friend, "Davis! Don't make things worse!"  
  
"What!?" Yolei shrieked, "Ken, he better be joking!"  
  
The tall boy, in beige pants and pale blue shirt, rolled his crystal blue eyes at her and sighed "Of course he is Yolei."  
  
"So there is no 'Mae' right?"  
  
"No none." Ken lied, he felt a twinge of guilt about this, but going into the whole 'Mae' saga was too draining for him to even think of right now, and at this point, it seemed unnecessary for them to know about her and the lesson she had taught him. Besides, she had modified their memories for a reason right? So why undo what she had done over a silly dream?  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"How do I look?"  
  
Mae said as she stepped out from behind a large wooden framed changing screen. A tall young man with spiked hair and gold rimed glasses glanced up and down, before putting his hands into his pockets. "You haven't thought this through have you?"  
  
Mae's dark eyebrows knitted together; "I didn't ask you that." She growled and stepped towards her long mirror, her reflection different to what she was used to seeing in it. She had done away with the emerald green dress, and replaced it with blue jeans and a tight black top. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and studied it. Then as if the hairs on her head were retracting into her skull, the locks shrank till they sat on her shoulders. Still wavy with a small fringe. She slipped her slender feet into a pair of black platform sandals and muttered, "I hate shoes, always have." Then stood up and asked the boy again, "Now, how do I look?"  
  
"Like an eighteen year old." He replied indifferently.  
  
She huffed and placed her hands on her hips, "I was going for sixteen, but close enough."  
  
"You still have to work on that accent. Most teenagers don't articulate that way you do."  
  
She pressed her lips together and then pouted, "Well, when you are as old as I am, you learn to talk in the correct manner. But if I am going to fit in, I will have to start talking like them."  
  
"It shouldn't be to hard, you've done it before." He looked sullen at his words.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "Osamu, do not do this again. I had to see him and I had to stop him from ever thinking about becoming the Emperor again."  
  
"But you got to see him! When can I have my chance?"  
  
"What do you mean 'I haven't thought this through?'" She glazed over his question as if she hadn't heard him.  
  
The violet haired youth scowled at her, "I mean, you are jumping in without testing the water."  
  
A dark eyebrow shot up, "Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning that sure, you found a port that will bring them here, but you haven't thought of the consequences. If you bring him here, it'll put him in more danger. He is safer in the real world."  
  
"I know this Osamu, and contrary to what you might think, I don't intend to bring him here. My intentions are to bring the other Chosen Children here, while I protect him in the real world. If all goes to plan, the Chosen Children will be able to keep him at bay, long enough for me to figure out a way to stop him going through with his plan."  
  
Osamu shook his head; "He's a GOD Mae! Not even your power is enough to stop him, how do you honestly think a couple of kids are going to do it?"  
  
"I don't have time to think of that now. Every second I am away from him, he is in danger!"  
  
"When do I get to see him?"  
  
Turning to the door of her wooden cabin, she pushed open the door and turned to look back at him. "I don't think him seeing you is a good idea Osamu, his sanity has been put through its paces and with all that is about to go on, seeing you might just push him over the edge."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Ah the computer lab." Davis sighed, "I shall see you next period."  
  
Ken chuckled and shook his head. Yolei took Ken's hand in hers and said to their friends, "Well, this is our stop, see you guys later."  
  
Cody was about to say something, when his attention was averted to something inside the room. Everyone's gaze followed his and they noticed that one of the computer screens had something on it that was very familiar. "A Digital port?" he croaked.  
  
All six teens hurried to the computer and glared at it. "It's open again?" Kari gasped.  
  
"But that means that something is wrong in the Digital world." TK said, turning to the rest.  
  
"Well, we should test it out." Davis added.  
  
"I'm all for that!" Yolei pulled out her D-3 and held it up to the screen. "Digi-port open!"  
  
The familiar window appeared, but something unexpected happened, it froze. Davis rubbed the back of his head; "Maybe it has a virus?"  
  
Ken, who had been thinking solely of the Digital world for the past few minutes, suddenly felt an odd echoing feeling fill his head, slightly headachy, he clutched his head and could have sworn he heard the words, 'Do not enter. It is unsafe.' Before he thought of the words, they slipped out his mouth, "Stop! Don't touch it, it's not safe!"  
  
The spun around and gawked at him, "Ken, are you all right?" Kari asked.  
  
"I, don't know, I just know that we shouldn't enter the Digital world."  
  
"Well we can't." TK commented, "The port is frozen."  
  
"That's because I froze it."  
  
Their attention fell to the door, where a tall, girl stood blue jeans, black top, and striking green eyes examining them.  
  
Ken gasped, "Mae?"  
  
Yolei glared at Ken, "So there IS a 'Mae'!"  
  
----~~~~~-----  
  
Ken: You are stopping there?  
  
Nic: I could go on, but then this chapter would be really long.  
  
Osamu: *Jumping up and down* I'm in this story! Yeah! Woo ho-, I'm not evil am I?  
  
Nic: No, you aren't. A bit defiant, but not evil.  
  
Osamu: *Resumes jumping up and down* Yeah, woo hoo!  
  
Wormmon: So where are you going with this story?  
  
Kaiser: Well if she told you that, what's the point of people reading it?  
  
Wormmon: Sorry.  
  
Nic: Kaiser, as mean as that was for you to snap at him, you do have a point, but what I will say is that, big, big things are going to happen in this story and I haven't even gotten started yet. 


	3. Gods and Guardians

(A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys. Gaia Lao, you got the candle thing right. Again remember I haven't seen season 3 and I'm guessing and assuming the Holy beasts and D-Reaper. So bare with me.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 2. 'Gods and Guardians'  
  
"Something must be done Gennai." Azulongmon sighed.  
  
The cloaked figure sat upon a high rock pedicel, facing the Holy Dragon Digimon. "Mae has gone to the real world to keep Ken safe."  
  
"It will not be enough, my friend, and I fear that Mae will act on impulse again, instead of listening to us."  
  
Gennai hung his head; "She has always done things her own way."  
  
"And that is precisely why we cannot trust her."  
  
"I trust her." Gennai stood up.  
  
"You love her. Your love for her, blinds you."  
  
Gennai breathed, "What shall I do?"  
  
"Find her and bring her to the counsel, this accusation she has put forward about Ebonwumon could cause a war."  
  
"I will go now."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Mae, what are you doing here?" Ken breathed. "You look different, did you cut your hair?"  
  
"No I washed it and it shrank." The green-eyed girl glanced around, "Is there somewhere where we can talk." She regarded the whole group, "All of us."  
  
"We have classes." Yolei snapped, still apparently angry with this girl, even though she had no idea who she was.  
  
"This is very important." Mae urged.  
  
Ken didn't even think about it, "There is a coffee shop close by, we can go there now."  
  
"Ah, Ken," Davis tapped him on the shoulder, "how do you suppose we are going to get out of school? We'll be caught."  
  
But before he could finish his sentence, Mae had transported them out of the school, to an alley way around the corner from the coffee shop.  
  
"Dude!" marveled the goggle boy.  
  
Ken and Mae seemed to be the only two acting very seriously; the others were just confused, Yolei, angry.  
  
They sat at a booth, and started talking in hushed tones.  
  
"Who are you exactly." Yolei barked.  
  
"I'm a Guardian from the Digital world. A few years ago, I framed Ken for attempted murder to stop him from turning into the Emperor again. After the lesson was over, I healed Yolei, Kari and Cody and altered your memories to make you think that Cody had been mugged. The only one who remembered what really happened was Ken."  
  
After a long pause, Davis growled, "Ken would never turn into the Emperor again!"  
  
The indigo haired youth, hung his head slightly, while Mae explained, "The powers of darkness are seductive, Davis, and once you have touched them, it's very difficult to get rid of them. They beacon you back, convince you. Make false promises that sound so good. For Ken, it is no different. I'm not saying that he would, but I had a vision years ago that said he would turn and great destruction would follow. But teaching him the lesson I did stopped that fate from coming to pass. However, I have had a new vision and it's worse. All of you are in danger, especially you Ken."  
  
Ken looked up and into her eyes, "What is it?"  
  
"Ebonwumon, the Holy Bird Digimon, god of fire and guardian of the south side has finally gone over the edge. According to my vision, he has taken his human-hating side too far, and teamed up with the D-reaper."  
  
Cody frowned, "D-reaper?"  
  
"A program designed to keep the creatures of the Digital World in check, but went dormant years ago, but now has awoken and mutated from the creatures that had been deleted. I have a feeling that it has corrupted Ebonwumon and now the two are planning to break down the barriers of the Digital World and real world, causing the two to flow into each other, the real world would come out worse if that happened. The reason you are in so much danger Ken, is because you hold the Codes to the barriers."  
  
"What Codes?" his indigo brows furrowed.  
  
"Very complicated inscriptions, built into your psyche. That's how you were able to access the Dark Gate. And that's what Ebonwumon needs."  
  
"The Dark Gate? The gate which leads to the Dark Ocean?" TK asked.  
  
Mae nodded her head. Ken glowered at her; "I don't know what Codes you are talking about. I have no memory of the Codes I used."  
  
"That's because when you were aware of using them, you were the Digimon Emperor and your memory of being him is unclear."  
  
"But I." Ken broke off when he noticed Mae look around her, expectantly.  
  
She started to talk to seemingly herself, "But I have him.. Very well." She looked back to the six teenagers sitting at the booth. "I have to go back to the Digital world now. Tell me that you will not go to there Ken. It is relatively safe for the rest of you, but Ken, please, you are in enough danger as it is here in the real world, being in the Digital world would be like you wearing a giant, red target on your back."  
  
Ken reluctantly nodded his head. Mae turned her attention on Yolei, but did not open her mouth to speak to her; rather, Yolei heard an echoing voice in her mind, "Take care of him. Do not let him enter the Digital world. Please Yolei, if you really love him, you will not let him be stubborn and enter. I am trusting you to take care of him."  
  
Yolei wordlessly nodded, while the others watched Mae get up from the table and walk to the alleyway, where by a wave of her hand, she opened a rip in space. Blue shimmered like a pool of water and she stepped into it and into the Digital World, her clothes and hair changing as she did so.  
  
She glared at Gennai; "I had him with me! This had better be important!"  
  
"The council wishes to see you." He replied quietly.  
  
"You know why. They wish to stop me, to tell me I am crazy. That I am deifying the Holy Beasts.again!"  
  
"Mae, please, listen to them."  
  
Mae brushed past her lover in a huff, "I shall go, but I will not necessarily listen to what they have to say."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken hung his head and ran his hands through his chin length indigo hair. His friends could not see the perplexed expression on his face. He shut his eyes tight and hopped it would all just be another nightmare when he opened them. Alas, when he lifted his head and opened his eyes he found that it was all very real.  
  
"Should we go to the Digital World then?" Cody asked.  
  
"We should go check it out, shouldn't we?" Davis said, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Well, I'll stay here if you guys go." Yolei voiced.  
  
"Ken are you alright?" Kari questioned.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah Kari, I'm fine." Ken lied, "If you want to go, you should make your way back to the school now."  
  
"You two will stay here?" Kari looked at Yolei and the lavender haired girl nodded.  
  
"I don't know guys." TK said, "I mean, how can we trust Mae, I mean especially after what she did to you Ken and not to mention Kari, Yolei and Cody. She hurt you guys and."  
  
"She healed them too." Ken snapped a bit to angrily, "Sorry TK, it's just I trust her, I'm not sure why, but I just feel this connection to her and I know that she will keep us safe."  
  
"Well, if you are alright with it Ken." Cody shrugged.  
  
"I am."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"You understand why you are here?" A large Holy Beast Digimon, by the name of Baihumon, resembling a white tiger, with purple stripes and huge metal cuffs on its legs echoed. He was the god of metal.  
  
Mae lifted her eyes up at the mammoth creature. She looked like an insect among the four Holy Beast of the Digital world. They seemed to be in a huge dome shaped monument, resembling a sports stadium. "You think I am lying about his betrayal to the Digital World!" She yelled pointing to her left, in the direction of South at the huge firebird.  
  
The god Digimon had huge fire red wings, and body, tipped with orange and gold. He glared down at her, with his long sharp beak and scathing red eyes. He was hovering next to Azulongmon, looking like a sparrow in comparison.  
  
"Betrayal? Mae come now, do you honestly expect us to believe you?" Zhuqiaomon, god of nature chortled. The other one of his heads nodding. He resembled a tortoise with a large tree growing on his back where a shell should have been.  
  
Mae scowled, "I made one mistake, centuries ago and you still have not learned to trust me!"  
  
"You almost destroyed the Digital World, Mae!" Azulongmon added, though in more of a bewildered tone, rather than accusing.  
  
"Let us not forget that she went against our wishes and sent out the crest of Kindness!" Ebonwumon boomed. "After we specifically stated that it would never be released again."  
  
"Thereby leaving me useless! I am the Guardian of Kindness and I had foreseen that it would be needed!"  
  
"But did you see that he would almost destroy the Digital World and claim it for himself?" Zhuqiaomon's other head growled.  
  
Mae closed her eyes in a slight defeat, "No.but," she opened them again and glared at the gods around her, "without him, they would not have defeated Malomyotismon, or locked Daemon away in the Dark Ocean!"  
  
"He would not have to have done those things, if it had not being for your defiance all those centuries ago." Ebonwumon seethed.  
  
"I admit creating them was a cruel, and foolish thing to do, but I was corrupted by my own crest!"  
  
"Why was it you crest? Why not Loves' or Sincerity's?" Baihumon questioned.  
  
"I do not."  
  
Mae was cut off by Ebonwumon, "Because, there is a flaw in the crest, we knew this and that is the reason we stopped the crest from ever being sent out again, until SHE defied us once again!"  
  
"I had my reasons!" Mae screamed, "Do not pretend to protect him and this world."  
  
"ENOUGH!" Azulongmon roared, "Mae, your accusations had better be backed up with good evidence, or I am afraid we will have to banish you to the Dark Ocean once more."  
  
Mae stepped back, "My visions are the only evidence I have."  
  
"And alas, we cannot see them. You are free to go now, but be warned Mae, if we find out that you are accusing Ebonwumon of treason, we will banish you from the Digital world."  
  
Mae nodded and was transported to her home, a large log cabin deep in the Digital forest. Osamu looked up from the book he was reading, "What happened?"  
  
"Ebonwumon has turned them against me."  
  
"No offence Mae, but the gods weren't really partial to you to begin with."  
  
Mae glowered at the violet-eyed boy. Both their attentions fell to the door when Gennai stepped in. "What did they say?"  
  
Mae exited the room to go to the kitchen, shouting behind her, "If I accuse Ebonwumon again, I shall be banished!"  
  
"Again?" Gennai looked at Osamu, who shrugged. "That'll make it how many times now?"  
  
The emerald clad woman returned to the living room, holding a bag of green leaves. " Three. Now are you on my team Gennai?"  
  
"You know I am."  
  
"Good then I am not alone in this." She moved to the door, "Stay here Gennai and look after everything. I'm sure the other Digidestined will be here soon. I'm going back to the real world."  
  
Osamu glanced at the leaves, "What are those for?"  
  
"Wormmon. We'll need Stingmon to help protect us."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Yolei had moved to sit next to the love of her life when the others had left and placed a comforting hand on his back, "Ken? Are you alright?"  
  
After a long silence where Yolei was unsure if he had heard her, he replied, "No Yolei, I'm not."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Kaiser: That's it? That's the end of this chapter?  
  
Nic: What does it look like?  
  
Kaiser: Well that's a stupid way to end the chapter.  
  
Nic: Thank you for your input, now kindly escort yourself out of my sight.  
  
Kaiser: *mumbling as he leaves the caravan (trailer)*  
  
Ken: Well, it was kind of long and dull.  
  
Nic: I don't deny that, all these little details need to be put out there though, next chapter will focus more on you Ken-chan.  
  
Wormmon: And me?  
  
Nic: And you Wormmon.  
  
Osamu: What role do I play in this?  
  
Nic: Well, not a huge one, but a good and important one.  
  
Osamu: That suits me fine.  
  
Kaiser: *reading the chapter again* Hang on, Mae created Daemon and Malomyotismon?  
  
Nic: To mention a few, yes.  
  
Kaiser: How does that work?  
  
Nic: You'll see.did I say you could come back inside?  
  
Kaiser: *mumbling as he steps out again* 


	4. Swallowed by the shadow

(A/N: Okay, thanks so much to Gaia Lao and Nightsky for the reviews. So far you two are the only ones who are loyal, means a lot to me, thanks. Just remember what I said about not knowing the D-Reaper and other gods. This chapter is a bit short, but it had to be, sorry. Oh yeah, I've noticed, FF font changes a few grammar things, such as ellipsis dots, those three full stops, and so changes the effect a bit, I tried to fix that but it didn't work, so I have to change a few things, bare with me. Enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 3. 'Swallowed by the shadow'  
  
"He's in danger isn't he?" Wormmon blinked up at the woman standing over him. She nodded twice.  
  
"I am here to collect you. I need you in the real world to take care of and protect Ken."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for, Lets go."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Things don't seem to have changed much." TK glanced around him in the Digital World.  
  
Kari held her arm, "I don't see anything dangerous around. What do you think Mae was talking about when she said we were relatively safe."  
  
"Safe as long as you don't have Ken with you." A voice said from behind them.  
  
They spun around to see a small cat-like creature with yellow stripy gloves. Kari's face instantly lit up, "Gatomon!"  
  
The cat creature leapt up into her arms; "I've missed you so much Kari."  
  
"Me too, Gatomon."  
  
"We should find the others." Davis said looking around.  
  
"No need!" an energetic voice cried out.  
  
Davis, along with the others turned their attention to the place where Gatomon had been. A few creatures stormed out of the bushes. Their collective partners crying out; "Veemon!"  
  
"Patamon!"  
  
"Armadillomon!"  
  
Hawkmon looked around at his Digimon friends in their partners' arms, "Where's Yolei?"  
  
"She is still in the real world with Ken." Cody told him.  
  
The bird digimon looked sullen. "But you will see her soon." Kari promised.  
  
TK turned to Gatomon, "What did you mean when you said we were safe as long as we don't have Ken with us?"  
  
"Mae and Gennai have already come to see us. They told us about Ebonwumon and the D-Reaper. Ken is what they want. You aren't important to them, unless you are protecting Ken."  
  
"Why does everyone want Ken?" Davis moaned, "Girls, teachers, Digital god-"  
  
"Davis." Veemon interrupted, "You are popular too!"  
  
Cody rolled his eyes, "You heard what Mae said, he has these Code things that they want." He looked around, "Where's Wormmon?"  
  
"Mae took him to the real world to take care of Ken."  
  
"Gennai!" They chorused.  
  
"Hello again Digidestined." The cloaked man smiled.  
  
"What is going on?" TK inquired.  
  
"It's a long story, but in short, Mae had a vision the other night. Her visions are rare, but have never been wrong, that is why I take them very seriously. She saw Ebonwumon and the D-Reaper join forces and turn their backs on the Holy Beasts. She saw Ken being taken and tortured till they got what they wanted; the Codes. Then total destruction as the barrier to the Dark Ocean was torn down and the real world and Digital world flowed into each other, millions of people dying, thousands of Digimon deleted. And not to mention the horrors of the Dark Ocean flooding into both worlds."  
  
"What happens if we are attacked by Ebonwumon?" Davis asked, "Do we fight back?"  
  
Gennai shook his head, "No Davis, you run."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae had lead them to a park now, where they could talk in privet. Yolei kept her hand on Ken's back, as she noticed his usually bright blue eyes, tiered instantly and his face seemed to age. They sat under a tree. Yolei noticed that Mae was carrying a brown burlap bag, but did not question what was in it.  
  
"I have something that will cheer you up Ken." Mae soothed as she pulled out the contents of the bag.  
  
Ken highly doubted that what she produced from that bag would make him feel better, but when he noticed she was holding a green, worm Digimon he exclaimed, "Wormmon!"  
  
The little virus type jumped into his arms and nuzzled him closely. "I've missed you so much."  
  
"Me too Ken-chan, me too."  
  
The happy re-union was quickly put at bay as Yolei and Ken both noticed the concerned and serious expression etched upon Mae's face. Her green eyes seemed to have seen something they had not. "No." she breathed, "How is that possible?"  
  
Both teens whipped their heads around to look at what she had seen, but saw nothing. "What is it?" Ken demanded.  
  
But Mae did not answer him, "Run."  
  
Yolei frowned, "What.?"  
  
"Run! Go! Meet me back at the coffee shop, I will hold him off!" Mae glanced back at them and saw that they were still there, gawking at her, "Go! NOW!"  
  
Without argue, they picked themselves up, Wormmon in Ken's arms and sprinted towards the coffee shop. The adrenaline pumping through them, their hearts drumming on their rib cages, they ran. They had no idea what was after them, but from Mae's reaction, they did not want to find out. Though the Dark Spore within Ken was deactivated, he still had some qualities left in him, and speed was one of them. He grabbed Yolei by the wrist and pulled her along. His grip was a little too tight on her delicate wrist, but she didn't complain.  
  
Back in the park, Mae was standing face to face with a large, shadowy creature, which resembled a scarlet cloud. She held up her right hand, forcing it to stop in its' tracks, "You will not harm him!"  
  
"I wish not to harm the boy, only to take him to my master." The shadow replied in a disturbingly deep, hollow voice.  
  
"You shall not fulfill your orders!"  
  
"Who will stop me?"  
  
Mae stood firm, "I shall stop you!"  
  
The shadow cloud seemed to laugh. A horrible grating laugh that oozed evil, "You? You are nothing but a Guardian. You serve a master, who does not."  
  
"I. Serve. No one!" Mae threw up her hands and a bright flash of blue lightning pulsed from her palms into the heart of the creature, where it shrieked with pain and faded from view.  
  
Not thinking twice, she too faded from view, transporting herself to the coffee shop.  
  
Ken yanked Yolei around a corner, only two shops away from their destination. Panting hard, they glanced behind them, only to find that when they looked in front of them again, they would see a hovering scarlet shadow in front of them. They stopped dead and stared at it, every instinct in Ken screamed for him to move. So he listened, spinning around, still holding tightly to Yolei and Wormmon, he ran. "Wormmon." Ken panted, "What is that?"  
  
"D-Reaper." The little digimon replied in a frightened voice.  
  
When they thought they had lost him, and checked behind them, they found that he was in front of them again. Mae only just materialized behind them when she saw the shadow literally swallow the carrier of the crest of Kindness and spit Yolei and Wormmon out.  
  
"NO!" All three screamed after the shadow as it faded away.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"We run?" Davis questioned.  
  
"Yes Davis, you run. You are not powerful enough to give Ebonwumon a nose bleed, let alone defeat him." Gennai groaned.  
  
"So we just let him take Ken.?"  
  
"I didn't say that-"  
  
Their attention was distracted by a rip in space as Mae, Yolei and Wormmon entered the Digital World through a portal Mae created. Gennai's expression became tense as Mae ran to him, Yolei following with Wormmon in her arms all three of them looking distressed.  
  
"He took him Gennai! He took him!" Mae cried.  
  
"D-Reaper?" Gennai questioned.  
  
The emerald clad woman nodded her head in confirmation, "I had no idea he was powerful enough to survive in the real world, let alone enter it!"  
  
"Ebonwumon must have given him a Digicore. That's the only way."  
  
Mae collapsed to her knees, her long wavy locks falling all around her and she buried her face in her hands. Gennai bent down so he was at her level. He took her soft, pale hands in his own and looked into her deep green, tear-filled eyes, "You couldn't have known."  
  
"I have failed Gennai!" she cried, tears slowly crawling down her delicate cheeks, "Because of me, I have caused the destruction of both worlds, and the death of my child!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken awoke with a splitting headache in a pitch-black room. The ground which he lay upon was icy cold and hard. He sat up but instantly regretted it, as it made his head feel as though his brain was rattling around in his skull. He had never been hung-over before, but he was betting that, that is how it felt, and he swore to himself that if he got out of all this, he would never get drunk.  
  
In a bright flash, where Ken quickly shut his eyes, the room lit up. Bright lights filled it, making the white walls seem that much brighter. Ken risked opening his eyes, but only found that the harsh light increased the pain in his head. With this a new feeling hit Ken, nausea. He shifted his weight and found that not only was his head in a tremendous amount of pain, but his entire body ached too. All his joints felt like they were on fire and his muscled screamed at him if he moved.  
  
Squinting by the light, he saw something enter the room. And for the first time he realized the room was in fact, enormous. And so was the creature who had entered it.  
  
"Ah, you are awake, good." It's powerful voice boomed, echoing and bouncing off the walls, causing Ken to flinch as the agony in his head increased in that second.  
  
"How's you're head Ken?"  
  
Ken looked up at the expectant creature. It's fiery red eyes fixed on him. He wished he were anywhere but here. He would even have preferred to be in the Dark Ocean than there with that god Digimon. He decided that he had better answer the Holy Beast, for fear of what he might do to him if he showed defiance. "It feels like an explosion is about to go off in it, and quite frankly I wish it would and get it over with, then maybe it wouldn't hurt so much." He swallowed, he hadn't meant to sound so nonchalant.  
  
"Ah, yes, that does tend to happen when the D-Reaper swallows you, I can't speak from experience, but I have heard it is quite painful being inside him. I can make you feel better Ken, and I can make you feel worse. Much worse. That all depends on whether or not you give me what I want."  
  
Now Ken didn't care if Ebonwumon heard or saw his defiance, he was not getting those Codes out of Ken, even though Ken had no idea of what Codes he was talking about. "What do you want?"  
  
"The Codes Kindness, the Codes."  
  
"I will never give them to you!" Ken screamed, abandoning all thought of his agony.  
  
Ebonwumon laughed a hollow laugh, "Of course YOU won't. You don't remember them."  
  
Ken's brows knitted together, "Then who.?"  
  
"The Emperor my dear boy. The Dark Digimon Emperor."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: I'm a little confused.  
  
Kaiser: Score! I'm in this?  
  
Nic: Yup. A bit later, but you are.  
  
Wormmon: I'm also confused.  
  
Nic: About what?  
  
Ken: Am I going to be turned evil again in this?  
  
Nic: Well that's Ebonwumon's plan, but.we'll I'm not gonna tell you.  
  
Osamu: I wasn't in it this chapter.  
  
Nic: Sorry, your part will be bigger a bit later.  
  
Osamu: Oh, okay.  
  
Mae: Is this a privet party or can anyone join?  
  
Nic, Wormmon, Ken, Osamu & Kaiser: *spin their heads to look at Mae*  
  
Nic: Um, sure why not. After all you are one of my influences.  
  
Mae: Okay, quick question, what did I do to get banished all those years ago?  
  
Nic: *Whispers in her ear, and her eyes get wide. * Oh!  
  
Wormmon, Ken. Kaiser & Osamu: WHAT?  
  
Nic: ^-^ 


	5. History lesson

(A/N: Okay this chapter is dedicated to Kawaii-Mimi-chan (Man I hope I did your name right, sorry if I didn't, I have a bad memory, thanks so much for the reviews. This comes out every third day, (it's Monday today) so go by that, I'll have the next chapter up on Thursday. Okay, I own the Light Masters (you'll see later). That's it I think. Enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 4. 'History lesson'  
  
"You're going to what?" Ken asked bewildered. He could not believe this was happening. He could not believe that a Holy Beast was doing this to him. He could not believe that this creature who was supposed to be helping protect both worlds, was trying to destroy them, by using him. Ken knew he shouldn't be thinking along these lines but he couldn't help but think, 'Why me?' He had been through so much, and even though he was growing and learning everyday, he never forgot what he did all those years ago. Sure there were times where he didn't think about his days as the Emperor, but there would be something that would happen, or someone would say something that would spark a memory from his dark days. However, the memories of him being the Emperor were fuzzy and only a few things were clear, but what he knew for certain was that he had no memory whatsoever of these Codes everyone was talking about.  
  
"I'm going to turn you into the Emperor so you can give me those Codes. You see Ken, while I am an extremely powerful being, I do have limitations, and while, yes, without us Holy Beasts, the real world and Digital world would flow into each other, causing disaster. But, that is only if all the Holy Beasts stopped guarding the worlds. I have turned my back on that human loving Azulongmon and his other followers. So I need the Codes to the barriers of the Dark Ocean in order to tear down the walls separating the real world from the Digital world. You have those Codes lodged in your memory thanks to the Dark Spore buried at the base of your skull. When you were the Emperor, you used these Codes freely, entering when you pleased without thinking twice about it. The Codes also gave you power Ken, power that you were unaware of. Telekinetic powers which you used to send out Dark rings, not to mention creating you a genius, and an incredible athlete. You did not get to see the full extent of the power of the Dark Spore. I can show you Ken."  
  
Ken narrowed his eyes at the god. He felt queasy from the pain pulsing throughout his body, but still fought to show that he did not want any part of what Ebonwumon was planning. "NEVER!" he screamed, instantly regretting yelling so loud, as his voice echoed off the walls and rang in his already ringing head.  
  
"I can do this two ways Ken, painful or painless. You decide."  
  
Ken stared hard at the enormous bird, hopping that he caught every ounce of defiance he was emitting.  
  
He did, "Very well, have it your way."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Yolei?" Hawkmon said as he flew over to her. She smiled at him, though the smile did reach her eyes and she looked genuinely happy to see him, she still looked very grim.  
  
She hugged him tight, "Oh Hawkmon! I've missed you so much!"  
  
The bird choked a bit, "Yolei, what happened?"  
  
She sighed, and Hawkmon realized that she had changed a lot since he had last seen her. This however, could be owing to the fact that her boyfriend had just being abducted by an evil thing. "It's a long story Hawkmon, but I'll fill you in." They sat down a little ways away from the rest of the group while Yolei explained.  
  
Gennai lifted Mae's head, "Mae, you can't blame yourself, you tried to warn them."  
  
But Mae wasn't listening to what her lover had to say, she seemed to come out of a trance as she met Gennai's gaze, "That's it! That's how I'll save him!"  
  
Gennai frowned, but it was Davis who asked the question, "How?" Mae stood up and instantly regained her poise, "The Light Masters! They can tell me where Ebonwumon lives!"  
  
The Digidestined looked at each other puzzled. Yolei had now joined them again and she too looked confused.  
  
"Who?" Davis asked. But his question was ignored.  
  
"Mae, what makes you think they will help you?" Gennai sighed.  
  
Her dark brows knitted together, "I will not give them an option." With her mind set, she turned on her heal and started to walk forward, as she did so, faded from view and disappeared all together.  
  
Kari turned to Gennai, "Who are the Light Masters?"  
  
"They are the three most powerful-"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
".Bastards!"  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
Mae stood in what looked like a spotlight in the middle of a dark room, her face and dress illuminated by the white light. Before her was what resembled the front of a court, with the Judges seat in the center and slightly elevated, on either side another seat. Two men and one woman in white robes sat behind them, looking down on Mae.  
  
Mae seemed to be seething with anger, "You heard me! Why will you not help me?"  
  
The middleman spoke, unlike the other two; he looked rather old, with a sheet of long white hair and a long beard to match. "You already know the answer to that Guardian of Kindness."  
  
"He is part of your team!" she yelled exasperated.  
  
The man on the left now spoke; he looked fairly younger, still with a sheet of white hair, but without a beard. "He is your charge. You were warned not to call him forth, for fear of the flaw in the Crest. But you turned your back on us once more and endangered many creatures in the Digital world-"  
  
"It is not my fault! It is not my fault that I and my Crest have a flaw! You created me! You have just as much responsibility to him as I do! I had my reasons for calling him! I did not know of the situations that had plagued him, or the darkness already within him. I did not think that the negative side of the Crest would over shadow the positive-"  
  
"You did not think." The woman with a long silvery sheet of hair added, from her position on the right.  
  
Mae hung her head and swallowed her pride. She got down on her knees and begged, "Please, tell me where Ebonwumon resides so I can stop him from going through with his plan. If you do not, you will put all worlds in danger."  
  
The three looked to each other and discussed something in hushed voices before turning to her. The middleman nodded, "Very well Mae, we shall tell you. Prove us wrong about you."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"You know you don't really want to resist Ken. It's in you, always has been always will. The darkness is so strong in you. You do know why right?" Ebonwumon taunted.  
  
Ken wordlessly scowled at him as he continued without waiting for an answer.  
  
"It's because you have so much Kindness in you and you know what the opposite of Kindness is right? Of course you do.come on now, say it with me."  
  
Ken growled, "Cruelty."  
  
"That's correct. Cruelty. The most sadistic emotion a person can posses. You see the reason it is so evil is because it is a chosen emotion. Yes, like other emotions such as love and hate, cruelty is borne in you, but you experience love, happiness, hate, sadness, you do not necessarily chose it. Cruelty on the other hand, you do. A sadistic person chooses to be cruel to people and animals purely for their own enjoyment, to make them feel better. The same goes for Kindness. You chose Cruelty before you chose Kindness Ken-"  
  
"That's a lie!" Ken yelled, "My brother loved me for my kindness and only when I got the Dark Spore in me-"  
  
"Come now Ken. What do you think that Spore fed off? That darkness was already there within you, it just increased it by bringing it to the surface. It is pointless fighting it. It's like fighting the Emperor himself, and we both know who would win that battle."  
  
"Mae's lesson taught me that reverting back to the Emperor is not worth hurting my friends over! I will never turn back to him!"  
  
Ebonwumon scoffed, "Mae? That Crest Guardian? You really trust her?"  
  
Ken frowned, "Why wouldn't I?"  
  
The god chuckled then look down at Ken seriously, "She really hasn't told you has she?"  
  
"Told me what?" he growled.  
  
"Sit down Ken, this is going to take a while."  
  
Reluctant to do anything Ebonwumon told him to do, Ken sat on the floor, his muscles aching with every small movement.  
  
"Mae, like the other Crest Guardians are all most as old as the Digital world itself. They were created just after its birth. They held the ideal properties for a perfect world. Courage, Friendship, Love, Sincerity, Knowledge, Reliability, Hope, Light, and Kindness. Each Guardian held a Crest within them and for centuries things were perfect, that is until, the world it's self became unbalanced. With everything, balance is the key for existence. For there to be light, there must be darkness, for love there must be hate. The world its self tried to balance itself and normally docile digimon became angry or scared, or hateful. So the first team of Digidestined were called in. In those days where Computers were not around, the Crest Guardians themselves would open the ports for the Children. Their personal Guardian gave their Crests to them. The battles were long, and soon odd behavior was noticed in Mae and her Charge. Both of them started hurting the Digimon they were fighting, and taking pleasure in it. A cruel pleasure. After a time, they started to become power hungry and started taking over the Digital World. They liked having the power, having Digimon fear them, being utterly cruel to the digimon and Digidestined. With Mae's powers, which you know only a few of, they were very close to claiming the Digital World as their own. Mae created many Dark Digimon, some of which you have come up against. Daemon, Myotismon, Devimon. She has the power to give life you see. The only other Crest Guardians with that power are Love, Sincerity and light. They used their powers to create partner Digimon for the Digidestined to help with the battles. So this meant that the Digidestined had their Guardians, Partner Digimon and the power of their Crests. Eventually they defeated Mae and her charge, after almost destroying everything in the battle. It was then discovered that there was a flaw in the Crest of Kindness. You see with the other Crests, it increases the positive power or trait in that person. For example, in love, that Digidestined would have love in them, and soon discover it for themselves, and then would be able to utilize it's power, it's positive power. In the Crest of Kindness, however, it stayed neutral. But, like all things, a person's soul has balance. For all the amount of darkness in a person, there is an equal amount of light, the same goes for all other traits and emotions. The negative side of the Crest of Kindness, somehow tuned more easily into the Cruelty of a person and that was why the use of it was banned. The negative trait over shadowed the positive. Whenever Digidestined were called, Kindness was never called forward and Mae was banished to the real world. She lived there for centuries, ashamed of herself, or so she says. She eventually came back and when she heard what one of her creations was up to, that being Myotismon, she had a vision of defeat, so going against everything we, the Holy Beasts had told her, she sent out her Crest, calling you. The trouble was, you did go astray, and her Dark Spore did not help matters. She was banished again, this time to the Dark Ocean with her powers stripped. She was forced to see you become the Digimon Emperor. And then Ken, she punishes you when she is released from the Dark Ocean. She caused all that pain in your life and then she punishes you! I want to know what you think of that Ken."  
  
Ken sat staring blank. His headache seemed to have increased with the excess information being forced into it. He swallowed and blinked a couple of times. He didn't know which to ask first, 'She tried to take over the Digital world?' or, 'She created Myotismon?', 'She made the Dark Spore?'. He cocked his head to the side, and slowly said, "I don't believe you."  
  
"I didn't expect you to. It does sound unbelievable, but you see, it is true and now that she has had a vision of me destroying the real world, no one will listen to her. They don't trust her, and with good reason."  
  
Ken had just noticed he was shaking. He wasn't shaking with fear. He was shaking with anger. He couldn't help it, that's how he felt. He wasn't sure why he was angry, possibly because it was true what Ebonwumon had said. How could she have the cheek to punish him for being the Emperor when she herself had almost destroyed the Digital World? Not to mention that almost everything that had happened to Ken was her fault. All that pain was because of her! And everything that was going on now too. He had his Crest because of her. He had that Spore because of her. Not to mention all that trouble with Oikawa, and Myotismon. Oikawa had died because of all that; he died because of her! In those few seconds, Ken realized that he hated her.  
  
'Ah,' thought Ebonwumon, 'yes, let that anger fester inside you. Let it fester until it is ripe for the picking and then you will see what I plan to do to you.'  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"These Light Master guys don't sound too helpful." TK commented after Gennai had finished explaining. He had also filled them in on Mae's history, not leaving anything out for it was important that they knew whom they were dealing with and why she reacted in some ways. Much like Ken they had not believed it at first, but then anger replaced that and Gennai had to convince them that it was not really Mae's fault, much like Ken being the Emperor was not really his fault when you looked closely at the situations. When they understood this, they seemed to be angrier with the Light Masters.  
  
The cloaked man shook his head, "Well, they aren't really. They sort of sit back and watch."  
  
Yolei balled her hands into fists, "They create everything, they make Mae with a huge flaw and then they don't want to help fix it? Why are they the Light Masters?"  
  
Gennai sighed and was about to reply when Mae started to come into focus in front of them. "We have to make a plan now. Follow me to my cabin."  
  
The teens all looked at each other and shrugged when Gennai had started to catch up to the Emerald figure. They stayed close to them, but not too close, as Gennai and Mae were having a conversation about something.  
  
"They gave you the location of Ebonwumon's palace?" Gennai asked surprised.  
  
Mae nodded.  
  
"But think about this Mae," Gennai started, "he is a god! How do you think we are going to defeat him? And let's not forget he is the most powerful Holy Beast out of all of them!"  
  
Mae turned to him very slowly and now that the two had stopped walking, the Digidestined were standing right behind them. When Mae turned, they noticed that her face was tired, and tears were threatening to cascade down her cheeks. She stared at Gennai; "He will turn Ken. He will turn him and then kill him."  
  
Now that Gennai had heard the words. The words that seemed so definite coming from her, he nodded his head with determination, "So what's the plan on rescuing him my love?"  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Mae did what?  
  
Nic: I'm not repeating it, go back and read it.  
  
Kaiser: I think he is shocked.  
  
Osamu: So am I.  
  
Wormmon: I'm not.  
  
Nic: Don't tell me you read my notes!  
  
Mae: No, he spoke to me. I told him.  
  
Nic: Mae! *Shrugs* Oh well, what's done is done.  
  
Ken: I see this story also has your creations the 'Light Masters' in it.  
  
Nic: Well, I like the idea of them, and.wait a minute, 'The End of the End' doesn't have them in it, does it?  
  
Kaiser: Can't remember. I know the story before that did.  
  
Ken: Why are they in this one?  
  
Nic: I like them, well the idea of them, and well when I was showering I just kind of got the idea to use them in this story.  
  
Osamu: Ah the shower, where you get all you ideas.  
  
Wormmon: Why is that?  
  
Nic: Um, I guess it's really the only time where I get to think clearly, also when I'm brushing my teeth or taking a bath.  
  
Ken: All things where you are cleaning yourself. That's odd.  
  
Nic: ^-^; 


	6. A question of trust

(A/N: Okay, finally all those irritating details are out there. Now we move onto the actual plot. Yeah, focusing on Ken and whatnot. I should add now, that later there are a few adult themes, but nothing too graphic and nothing you haven't seen on TV. It's does have a purpose, but I will inform you of it at the time. Anyway thanks for the reviews; I hope you enjoy this chapter.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 5.'A question of trust'  
  
They followed Mae as she burst through the doors of her cabin and marched in. Osamu blinked up at her from where he was sitting blowing bubbles. "Back so soon?"  
  
She didn't even glance at him as she walked past and replied, "Not for long."  
  
The violet haired boy got up swiftly and grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at him, "Where is he?"  
  
Their attention wavered and fell on the door, where Gennai, Yolei, Davis, Kari, TK and Cody had just filled in. All but Gennai and Mae gasped at the sight of Osamu, Ken's dead older brother.  
  
Cody stepped forward. The boy had grown quite a bit since he first saw that photo of Osamu in Ken's room at a Christmas party, but even after all those years, he recognized who he was. "How is that possible?" He rasped.  
  
"We aren't even to sure ourselves." Gennai confessed.  
  
Ignoring them, Osamu turned back to Mae, "Where is he?"  
  
Mae yanked her arm back and barked, "Ebonwumon has him!"  
  
The older Ichijouji stepped back, "You let him take him?"  
  
"Of course I did not!" Mae exploded, "The D-Reaper took him!"  
  
"We are going to work on a plan to rescue him." Gennai soothed.  
  
Osamu turned and moved to the balcony, where he looked at the canopy of the Forest.  
  
"Right." Said Mae; "Ebonwumon resides on the south side of the Digital world. There is no problem getting there, I can transport us. It's getting into his palace that will be the problem. I doubt it will be guarded, but the Light Masters told me it is like a maze inside."  
  
Yolei, who was holding Wormmon as well as Hawkmon, sat down on a nearby chair.  
  
"So splitting up would be an unwise decision. We should keep as close as possible, this will take longer to search, I know, but we will all get out together." She looked around, "Any objections?"  
  
No one said anything and so Mae transported them to the South side of the Digital world. The area was a huge Aztec type temple protruding out of a thick blanket of trees. The temple was magnificent and was so large that a good dozen or so cathedrals could have fitted comfortably inside it.  
  
"Dude." Davis said in awe.  
  
"It's going to take us ages to find him in there." Gatomon sighed.  
  
"Mae?" Patamon said tentatively, "are you sure you don't want us to split up?"  
  
"Yes, I know what room he is in."  
  
"The Light Masters told you that too?" Gennai asked shocked, "What did you do? Threaten them with their lives?"  
  
"In a way." She moved forward, "Come on. I can't transport us into the temple itself, I can only transport us out of it." ~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken had been sitting there in his seething anger for almost a half-hour, and Ebonwumon had let him. It was his plan after all. He was lost in his thoughts; all pain in his body forgotten. Ebonwumon had had the sudden urge to fly out the room and Ken really didn't take much notice of him as he left. He was too busy thinking of all the things Mae had put him through, and not just him. Her actions, almost all of them, had a chain effect on so many people's lives. And all of it was bad. But then, she had the audacity to punish HIM for becoming the Emperor, while she all the while knew that it was a possibility. That and the fact that she had been much worse when she had turned. He was seething, she was a hypocrite.  
  
In the next room, Ebonwumon was conversing with the shadowy figure, the D- Reaper. "They are coming for him." It rasped.  
  
The great firebird nodded, and by the expression on his face knew that this was coming, even hopping for it. "She is a bit earlier than I thought she would be, but that does not matter. Phase one of my plan is set in motion. We shall see if phase two goes as smoothly."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Why do I feel like we are in the Giga house again?" said Veemon as he stared up at the ceiling, which was a good couple of hundred feet up.  
  
Kari rubbed her arms and moved over to Yolei, who looked like she could do with some cheering up. The brunette couldn't help but snicker, it was usually Yolei who did the cheering up, but ever since Ken had been abducted, she was drained, and looked pale, like she was about to be sick. After the battle of Malomyotismon, Yolei and Ken had become close friends. And since they all started high school together, they had become much closer. Davis said it was hormones, TK had chalked it up to them being soul mates when they finally started dating. Since then, they had become inseparable. Yolei however had always been worried of her competition. Even though Ken wasn't as famous as he had been, he was still very attractive, and turned many young women's heads wherever he went. He had assured her that she was the only one that turned his head, and Kari remembered how she had blushed furiously and embraced him in a choking hug.  
  
"We'll find him Yolei, I promise." Kari told her.  
  
"I know we will Kari." She whispered over Wormmon's head, who she was carrying, "But I just we hope find Ken and not the Emperor."  
  
Davis, who was also looking like if he opened his mouth, he would throw up, was hovering near Mae and Gennai. Cody noticed him looking back and forth down the corridors of the temple. They seemed to stretch for miles, before disappearing around a corner. "What's wrong Davis?"  
  
"Um, well, shouldn't we have been attacked by now?"  
  
Hawkmon looked at him askew, "What do you mean?"  
  
The goggle boy placed a hand behind his head, "Well, I mean, if this Ebonwumon guy doesn't want us to rescue Ken, then why hasn't he got guards swarming the place?"  
  
TK had to give it to him; he was pretty smart, when it came to important things like this. "Well, maybe he has the place booby trapped?"  
  
"Possibly." Gennai mumbled, a bit unnerved.  
  
Mae turned to them, about to say something when she clutched her chest and took in a sharp breath. In a flash Gennai had put his hand on her shoulder, "What's wrong?"  
  
But instead of answering, she stood up straight and started running down the corridor to their left, shouting, "Hurry! He's this way!"  
  
They looked at each other, puzzled, and followed after. After feeling like they had run across the entire Digital Dessert, Mae stopped outside a massive wooden door; in it was carved an Aztec phoenix. They doubled over, pressing their hands on their knees, panting and grasping at stitches in their sides, their digimon not looking much better. Mae and Gennai however looked fine, as if they had just woken up from a long sleep.  
  
"He's in there." Mae whispered.  
  
They all nodded their heads, understanding what she had said.  
  
"So what are we waiting for?" Davis asked.  
  
"We cannot all go in. We will attract too much attention. Besides, I'm the only one powerful enough to fend him off if Ebonwumon shows up."  
  
At this, all the Digimon looked a bit insulted, but didn't argue with her.  
  
"If I am not back in a half hour, come looking for Ken." She turned away from them and pushed the great door open, with ease and entered the bright white room on the other side of them.  
  
There he was. Sitting in the middle of the enormous room. Like a little lost child, playing with a toy he found, oblivious to the world around him. But Ken was not a little boy and he was certainly not oblivious to his surroundings. She ran to him with such speed that it appeared her feet did not touch the ground. "Ken." She breathed.  
  
He looked up at her. His blue eyes like deep pools. She noticed his expression was not relief, but looked more like a scowl. She frowned. "Ken?" she repeated, extending her hand to him. He slapped it away from her and hardened his gaze. She felt her head swim for a moment, and another sharp pain stabbed at her chest. 'He has his own powers.' She thought to herself, 'I wander if his is really unaware of them.'  
  
"Ken, come on! We have to get you out of here."  
  
He continued to glare at her.  
  
"What is this about?" she growled.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" he finally snapped.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You are a hypocrite and I don't trust you!" Ken seethed.  
  
Mae narrowed her eyes at him, grabbed his wrist and yanked him to his feet, "I'm not asking you to trust me Ken, I'm telling you if you don't come with me, you will die!"  
  
Ken stared hard at her. He had to admit to himself that he didn't really want to die, but that was not the only thing running through his thoughts now. If he refused to go with Mae, he would be in the clutches of Ebonwumon, who wanted to turn him into the Emperor, and if he succeeded, two worlds would be in ruins because of him. So he put aside his anger for the ancient woman resembling an eighteen-year-old and took her out- stretched hand.  
  
They turned to the huge door, which was white on this side, instead of wooden, as it was on the opposite side. There was a rumbling sound from behind them. They turned as one to see that the huge firebird was hovering behind them.  
  
"Mae." He rumbled, "what a pleasure to see you here."  
  
She turned to look into Ken's blue eyes, her green ones boring into his, "Run." She said to him, "I will not let him harm you, just run to the door and when you meet with the others, keep running."  
  
The indigo haired boy glanced at Ebonwumon then at Mae and dashed for the door. To his surprise he made it unscathed, and it was a far distance to cover too. He was sure he would make an easy target. But then he remembered Ebonwumon wanted him alive--for now anyway. When he reached the door and pushed it open, he looked back to see Mae standing firm with her right arm extended, a blue, crystal-like substance hovering in front of her. When Ebonwumon delivered a crimson coloured attack, he realized that it was a shield, which deflected the attack back to Ebonwumon, but was still powerful enough to knock Mae off her feet. She landed hard and the shield disappeared. She turned to look at him, "RUN!" He did as she said, and met the others outside.  
  
"Ken!" Yolei, Davis and Wormmon chorused.  
  
"Mae said we should get out of here." He panted.  
  
"No arguments there." TK mumbled.  
  
Gennai looked down at Ken, "Where is she?"  
  
Ken swallowed, "In there, fighting off Ebonwumon, I think it's a distraction to let us get away."  
  
The cloaked man nodded his head and said, "Well, lets make sure it's not in vein."  
  
Back inside the white room, the battle between the two roared on. Mae was standing now with both arms extend, a rose coloured lightning crackling around her hands. If any of the Digidestined had been watching, they would have seen that her words were true when she said that she was the only one powerful enough to fend off Ebonwumon. And it was true. Her eyes were as bright as they had ever been, and would have been visible in the dark. Her waist length, dark brown hair was flying all around her, like it had been fanned out. She held her attack waiting.  
  
"Come now Mae." Ebonwumon boomed, "This is pointless."  
  
"I will not let you succeed!" she said calmly.  
  
"But my dear, I have already put my plan in motion and it is going very smoothly."  
  
"Ken has escaped, I would say that things are not going as smoothly as you have hoped they would."  
  
To her surprise, the bird chucked, "Oh really? You should not be so cocky Crest Guardian. For this is all part of my plan. And you are a pawn, just like he is."  
  
Mae's eyes widened in realization. Without her running by their sides, they were in danger, of what she did not know, but in danger never the less. And even though Gennai was there, he was no match for her power. She blasted her attack of pink lightning at him then turned to run, hearing him scream in agony as she did so. When the attack had diminished, she heard him say, "You can not defeat me Mae. And sooner or later, you will help me--whether you want to or not."  
  
They took a corner, running for the exit. They were so close to their destination that they did not look back or talk. They were tired, but pressed on. When they reached the exit and ran into the dense forest, they had not noticed that Yolei, Davis, Wormmon, Veemon and Hawkmon had been swallowed by the D-Reaper.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Oh, my word!  
  
Osamu: Okay, what is going on?  
  
Wormmon: I was worm-napped by that shadow thing?  
  
Nic: Yup.  
  
Kaiser: What delicious torment are you planning for Ken now?  
  
Nic: That's for me to know and for you to wait and find out.  
  
Ken: Why oh why do you do this to me?  
  
Kaiser: Admit it, she likes to see you squirm.  
  
Nic: I like to see you squirm too Emperor-boy.  
  
Kaiser: Uh oh.  
  
Osamu & Wormmon: *chuckling* 


	7. Guilt

(A/N: Okay, thanks for the reviews people! They're great! Now I must tell you that later in this chapter, there is a quote from the show, but I missed the repeat of the episode, so I couldn't tape it and so know for a fact that I got it wrong. If anyone knows it, could you tell me in the review so I can fix it? I should add that this story had a little of everything in it, romance, angst, drama, action, fantasy, etc, so I hope you enjoy it more. (I forgot to put that at the beginning). Well, on with the story. Enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the Worlds" 6. 'Guilt'  
  
Mae took another corner, her heart thumping, her breath hard, she whipped her head around and then disappeared in a second. She ended up in the forest, just outside of the temple entrance. Her head swiveled, searching for the Digidestined, their digimon and her lover. She did not search long.  
  
"Mae!" Gennai called to her.  
  
She joined them as they stopped running and caught their breath. Ken looked at the group, and panic swallowed him, "Where are the others?"  
  
The group turned and looked around and noticed that Davis, Veemon, Yolei, Hawkmon and Wormmon were missing. "I thought they were behind you." Cody said.  
  
Ken started to shake, "They were." Now, he was not only angry with Mae, but himself as well, "They must still be in there! We have to go back in for them!"  
  
"No, Ken." Gennai said, "We have to get you as far away from here as possible."  
  
But Ken wasn't hearing it. He turned on Gennai so quickly with such anger and pain in his eyes that Gennai was reminded of how Mae had told him that he was never a boy, but he had always being a man in a young boy's body. Now, he was a teenager, and as Mae had said it, 'Wise beyond his years'. He was mature and knew what choices he had to make, even if he didn't want to, or if it endangered himself. He carried so many burdens on his shoulders, that Gennai felt it unfair that he should be so young with so many worries. The reason Ken was 'Wise beyond his years' he had informed Mae, was that it was because he had not had a proper child-hood and he had had to grow up too fast. Now this young man of seventeen was staring up at Gennai with heart breaking blue eyes, all concern for himself gone. When he spoke, it was with a desperation and anger in his voice, "They were right behind me, Gennai. I should have been watching out for them! I shouldn't have just run, I should have--This is all my fault!"  
  
Mae swooped down on him, "Ken, this is not your fault. This is all part of Ebonwumon's plan."  
  
The anger was back now, and it was time for him to direct it at her. "This is your fault then!" he hissed. His tone was venomous, "All of this is happening because of you!" And then a tear ran down his cheek. A signal crystal tear, "But it's my fault too." He whispered.  
  
And then it dawned on Mae. She raised her head and stared at the horizon. "Guilt." She muttered.  
  
"Pardon?" Kari said, but Mae either didn't hear her, or ignored her.  
  
"Guilt. Anger. And, and Hate is the last."  
  
Gennai put a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to earth. She jumped slightly at his touch and turned to him. "What are you talking about Mae?"  
  
She moved her head so that she could look into his eyes. And then she glanced at Ken, who was staring up at her with a mix of confusion and slight understanding. "We have to get back to my home."  
  
Ken shook his head; "I'm not going anywhere without the others."  
  
"I'm not giving you a choice." With that, she transported them back to her cabin.  
  
If Ken was angry with her before, it was nothing to how he felt now, and he didn't bother to hide it. He looked around and settled his icy glare on Mae. "NO! Take me back! Take me back now! This is all your fault! All of this, everything! Everything that happened to me is your fault! It's your fault! It's your fault! It's your fault! It's my fault! It's my fault!" realizing his words, he clutched his head and fell to the floor, shaking with both anger and shock.  
  
All Mae could do was hold him, until he subsided. She held him in her arms, rocking him gently back and forth. She hummed to him in his ear, a gentle lullaby like he was no longer a young man of seventeen, but rather as if he were the young, gentle innocent, wide eyed five year old boy he once was. The one who used to blow bubbles with his older brother on their balcony. She looked up quickly and realized that Osamu was around here somewhere. She could not risk Ken seeing him. "Ken." She whispered, "This is all part of his plan. He is making you feel those negative emotions to activate the Spore within you. You have to try and control it. I know it's hard, and I'm sorry for inflicting all of this upon you, it was never my intention."  
  
With the smallest of nods, he got up and walked over to a chair, where he collapsed on it, his head swimming.  
  
Then Mae glanced at Gennai as she left the room to seek out Osamu.  
  
Her first guess was the library. She knew he loved her library. He loved it because it was the largest library he had ever seen. Granted he was merely a boy of about eleven/twelve when he had died, so he hadn't seen many libraries. But she was betting that hers was the biggest in the two worlds. She had collected books over the many years of her existence. She loved to learn, she loved to read and when she had been banished to the real world for most of her life, she needed to learn a lot of things. She had been around for many a great important events that had happened in the real world. The days of knights, and fair maidens, an era in which she was most comfortable in. Years on she had seen wars and protests, her favorite time was being a hippie. She had protested war, (something which she felt she had to do, considering that she hated it, and yet she had inflicted it so many years ago, the reason why she was in the real world in the first place). It was true, she held books in her library that were almost as old as she was, with yellow pages that threatened to fall apart if you breathed too hard on them, and the newest ones on computer programming. Yes, this was Osamu's favorite room.  
  
He smiled at her over another book he had found. But the smile faded quickly when he saw the exhausted expression on her face. "What is it?"  
  
"You have to promise me that you will stay in the east wing for the night-- or until I say otherwise." Her tone was not a request, but had a more final note in it, but Osamu still wanted to question it.  
  
"Why? What's--he's here isn't he?"  
  
She hesitated, "Yes, but please Osamu, you must not see him and more importantly, you must not let him see you."  
  
He nodded his head reluctantly. "Okay, I'll stay here."  
  
"Thank you Osamu. And I am sorry."  
  
When she returned, she saw that Ken had fallen asleep on the chair. She sighed and looked to Kari, TK, Cody, Gennai and their Digimon. She gestured for them to sit a few seats away from Ken, so as not to disturb him.  
  
TK hesitated at first, but Mae, who had sensed he had something to say, persuade him to speak his mind. "It's just, well, our parents will get worried if we don't show up for dinner soon. Not to mention Ken's parents will have a heart attack and might call the police or something."  
  
"Of course." Mae said hanging her head. "Then we should take him back and get you three home too."  
  
When Kari, TK, Cody, Patamon, Armadillomon and Gatomon stared at Mae's face, they couldn't believe how when they had first met her, she looked like she was in her late teens, possibly early twenties. And then they had learned that she was in fact almost fourteen centuries old, that was aging by the real world anyway, if she had stayed in the Digital world, she would have been much older. However, they noticed that over the past few hours, she looked like she had aged quite a bit and fatigue was setting in.  
  
"But," Kari bit her lip, "What about Yolei and the others?"  
  
Mae looked up at the girl and Kari almost flinched when she looked into the Guardian's eyes, even though she looked tired, her eyes still yielded such power. "They will not be harmed Kari." She said soothingly. "Ebonwumon is only holding them because he needs Ken to feel guilty about them being taken. When he is ready for Ken, he will take him. It is a fact not even I can deny. I will fight it as best I can, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it." She sighed as she looked over at the steady rise and fall of Ken's chest, "I will watch over him tonight, and make sure nothing comes to harm him."  
  
"I'll call Yolei's parents to tell them that she is sleeping over at my house. So they don't worry." Kari said with her eyes downcast.  
  
"And I'll call Davis' parents and say he's sleeping over at my place. I don't think it's right for Ken to have to think about that." TK added.  
  
With all matters settled, Mae opened a portal to the real world and gestured for TK, Kari, Cody and their digimon to go through, while she said good-bye to Gennai. "If anything goes wrong Gennai, do not hesitate to call me. And inform Osamu that he may wonder freely now as I have gone to the real world."  
  
He nodded and kissed her gently on her rose coloured lips. Then she moved over to Ken's sleeping form, and gently tore him from his slumber. "Ken," she breathed, "you have to wake up now."  
  
He stirred and opened his eyes and for a glorious second, he did not remember the day's events. But quickly, like a tidal wave, all the memories bombarded and flooded him once more and he sat up. "Are we going to rescue them? Why did you let me sleep? Why-"  
  
She shook her head softly, "No Ken. I'm taking you to the real world-"  
  
"No! We can't leave them!"  
  
"Ken," she soothed in a clam and gentle voice that could sooth even the most savage of beasts, "They will not be harmed. You need to rest; your body needs nutrients and water. And your parents will be worried about you. Tomorrow we will return for them, I swear it."  
  
Lazily, he nodded his head and followed her out into the portal.  
  
It was just past dusk in the real world and no one had said a word in all the time they had been walking. That is until they walked past Yolei's apartment when it was time to drop Cody and Armadillomon off. Ken mumbled to himself that the fact that she was not with them, was his fault and that he was sorry.  
  
TK rounded on him and said, "Ken, you have to stop beating yourself up. You couldn't have know, and lets face it, if this was Ebonwumon's plan, I'm betting that he would have taken them whether you fought or not. You can't blame yourself."  
  
Ken narrowed his eyes at the blond, "Don't tell me how to feel TK! This is my fault and if I want to feel guilty about it, I will!" Then he retreated a few steps back, in shock of his own out burst. "I-I'm sorry TK, I didn't mean to lash out at you. I just-"  
  
"You just feel bad about it." Cody finished for him. "It's okay Ken, but you have to remember why you feel guilty. It's because Ebonwumon wants it that way, and he would have done anything to make you feel that way. He wants to reactivate the Dark Spore, do you want him to win?"  
  
Ken shook his head, "You know I don't."  
  
"Then try not to give in. I know it's hard, but you have to try."  
  
Ken nodded and gave a weak smile to the fourteen-year-old. Mae smiled at him too, 'Another who is wise beyond his years.' She though idly.  
  
After dropping TK and Kari off along with their digimon, Ken and Mae got on the train to Tamachi. Not a word was spoken between them. That is until they reached Ken's front door. "What am I supposed to tell my parents about you sleeping over?" he asked dully.  
  
"Do not worry about me. I will be invisible to them. One of my powers." She added when he gave her a skeptical glance.  
  
He shrugged and opened the door. His mother poked her head out of the kitchen and the sent of dinner was not far behind her. "Oh, Ken, you're home! I was worried."  
  
He sighed and replied, "I met Davis and the others to play soccer. Sorry I should have called."  
  
"No, no, you're a young man now, you are free to do what you want."  
  
"As long as you are home for dinner." His father added as he came out of the kitchen.  
  
Ken nodded his head and went to his room. Clearly his parents hadn't seen Mae who was behind him, dressed in jeans and a black top. As he closed the door behind him, he shuddered involuntarily. He had lied about his whereabouts to his parents, and that lie included Davis and his other abducted friends. He was exhausted. Sleep was hard to come by lately and this day had taxed him to his last ounce of strength. Mae wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the right words. She felt incredibly guilty about the entire situation and as much as Ken's words had stung, she had to admit that he was right. All this was her fault. Her heart jumped with a pang of pain again at the thought, and she knew what it was. It was her Crest inside her. It was changing, slowly and she could not stop it. She could not stop it because she could not stop Ken from feeling the way he was feeling, and she had to admit to herself, she felt those emotions too.  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
She snapped out of her thoughts at Ken's question. He was sitting on a chair by his desk and computer, not facing her.  
  
"Do what?" she asked.  
  
"Try to take over the Digital world."  
  
For a few seconds she contemplated on how to answer that question, and found that she had no answer. She shrugged and said, "There is another side of me, as in everyone. She was a ruthless, cruel creature and power hungry. Why she wanted the Digital World for herself, I will never know, as I have never come face to face with her, and I do not wish to."  
  
Ken turned to face his Guardian. "Another side of you? Like the Emperor in me?"  
  
She nodded. And there was silence again until Mae finally looked up at her charge with gleaming tears rolling down her cheeks. As she spoke, her voice quaked, "I am truly sorry Ken. I only hope that your pain will end one day. I do not hope it is your dying day, but if it is, I envy you."  
  
Ken blinked at her and frowned at himself, "I'm sorry too, for blaming you. I know that it's not your fault, not entirely anyway. And I am also to blame for being the Emperor. I'm sorry that you will never be able to leave your guilt and pain behind you."  
  
She offered a weak smile.  
  
"What is it like to be immortal?" he asked.  
  
"Exhausting. It is amazing, how when one lives forever, one longs for death."  
  
He was about to reply when his mother called him for dinner. He was about to open the door when he looked back at the brunette; "Do you eat?"  
  
"From time to time." She mused.  
  
"I'll sneak you something." And he left the room.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Kari collapsed onto her bed in her room. Her brother, Tai, had gone off to college and only returned home during holidays and occasionally weekends. She missed her brother, but enjoyed having a room to herself.  
  
Gatomon hopped onto the bed and studied the look on her partner's face. Kari was deep in thought, thinking about that day in the Digital world when Ken had just shed his Emperor clothes, and had just been accepted into the group. Only just. His base was threatening to explode and so they had raced to the core of the problem. 'It's so cold.' She had said, holding her arms.  
  
'I know this feeling,' TK murmured, 'This is what it felt like in the Dark Whirlpool.'  
  
Then they had commented on the colour of the reactor. 'It's the colour of pure evil.' Ken had said.  
  
'How do you know?' she had asked.  
  
'Because I've been wrapped in this feeling ever since I came to the Digital World.'  
  
Kari shuddered. She could not imagine how that must feel. She felt sorry for Ken. He had had a rough deal in his life. She knew that as the carrier of Light, her opposite Crest was Darkness. It was a fact that she had accepted a long time ago. Without Darkness there can be no Light. But to be wrapped in that feeling of darkness for so many years? She could not handle that, and so she admired Ken for dealing with it. But now, he was teetering on the edge of it once more, and it looked like no matter how much he fought, he would not win. "We are in trouble Gatomon." She sighed and her cat digimon only nodded.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken had finished his dinner and taken a long shower, where he had stood with his head leaning on the tiles on the wall. He usually only wore boxers to sleep in, but since Mae insisted on spending the night, he figured he should rather wear pajama pants and a T-shirt. He had sneaked her some rice, chicken and a glass of milk. He had also been able to get a blanket from the linen cupboard as well as a pillow. He pulled out a blow up mattress from his cupboard, one that was used once when he had gone camping years ago. Mae had used one of her many powers to blow it up. And Ken had put the blanket down on it for her. She thanked him as he climbed up to his bed and pulled back the duvet.  
  
After a few hours of sleep Mae pulled back the blanket and sat up. She had never really intended to sleep that night, but when Ken had made the bed, it looked so inviting to her. And she was so tired. So she promised herself only a few hours and then she would do what she intended to do, look after Ken. She would have crumbled if something had taken him away while she was asleep, and when she saw that he was still there, slumbering in his bed, she breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
She had been sitting on his desk with her legs crossed for almost an hour and decided to investigate his room. It was true she did know every thing about him, and if she was so inclined, she could read his thoughts. It was her job after all, that and she had always had a huge fascination with him. Her last charge had been a girl, but she was very simple, unlike Ken, who was intriguing, with so many secrets and thoughts. Well, now she was bored and so decided to take a tour of his room. Her first glance was at his books. She bent over and studied the book's spines, having no trouble reading them in the dark, as her eyes adjusted very well to it. She grinned noticing that she held almost all the same books as he did. But she frowned when she noticed the lack of storybooks. 'Note to self: Buy Ken a fiction book when all this is through. He could do with a 'Happily-ever-after' ending.'  
  
She was about to pick up one of the books she did not have, when a loud moan from Ken got her attention. She moved over to the bed and looked up, he was having a nightmare.  
  
His face contorted with a frown and his eyes flickered beneath the lids. In his dream he was standing in what looked like a swamp, a swamp with black fog dancing at his ankles. He started at a voice in the distance.  
  
'Well, well. Long time no see Kenny-boy."  
  
He spun around to locate the voice and squinted at something, a figure appearing in the darkness. It stepped closer and revealed itself as The Digimon Emperor. But he was older now, but looked exactly how Ken remembered him. He choked, 'You!'  
  
'You remember me, I'm touched.' The Emperor said in mock surprise.  
  
'You're dead!' Ken growled.  
  
'No I'm not. And I never was. I was just pushed to the back of your mind, squashed down in your soul. But I'm apart of you Ken, whether we like it or not and if I die, you die. It's clear who the genius was huh?' He lifted one of his eyebrows.  
  
Ken glowered at him, 'What do you want?'  
  
'What do I want? Well that's easy isn't it? I want to exist again. I want power again and I sure as hell want you to suffer inside yourself, just as you made me suffer!'  
  
'That will not happen!' Ken shouted, more trying to convince himself.  
  
'Oh no? I hate to break it to you Ken, but it's already happening, and I'll be running around before you know it.' Then he started to laugh that evil laugh of his.  
  
'NO!' Ken screamed. "NO!" he sat up, panting, sweat dripping down his nose.  
  
Mae levitated herself so she was able to be eye-level with Ken. She hovered there, concern all over her face. "What is it?"  
  
He slowly turned to her and closed his eyes tight, "He's coming back Mae, and I don't think I can fight him."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Wow that was long.  
  
Nic: Yeah I know, I just kinda couldn't stop.  
  
Kaiser: *Dancing around* Yeah! I make a come back!  
  
Osamu: When is Osamu gonna see Ken and vise versa?  
  
Nic: Not soon, he is there for a very important reason and if Ken were to see him now, it would ruin everything.  
  
Ken: What are you planning to do to me now?  
  
Nic: I can't answer that.  
  
Mae: *sitting reading a book*  
  
Nic, Wormmon, Ken, Kaiser & Osamu: *look at Mae waiting. *  
  
Mae: *Looks up* Oh, I'm not here to ask a question.  
  
Wormmon: Then why?  
  
Mae: *shrugs* I'm here for the ride I guess.  
  
Ken: And the Easter eggs.  
  
Nic: Mmmm, chocolate! ^-^ 


	8. Operation Hate

(A/N: Okay well I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter. But it could be due to something at FF. I reviewed a story and it didn't say I had, but when I tried again it said I had already reviewed that chapter. *Shrugs* Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter 'cause we are finally getting somewhere.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 7. 'Operation Hate'  
  
Ken sat staring at the wall across from him for several minutes before he shivered and pulled his duvet up to his chest.  
  
Mae frowned, "You are getting sick. A head cold I think."  
  
"I'm fine." He sighed.  
  
"No you aren't, I can sense it. I can heal you-"  
  
Interrupting Mae was a beeping sound coming from Ken's D-terminal. Mae went to pick it up and read the message from Gennai. She looked back up at Ken with a grave expression on her face. "We have to go back to the Digital world now. It's time to rescue them."  
  
"You mean it's time for Ebonwumon to carry out his plan." Ken climbed down the ladder of his bed and went to have a shower and get dressed.  
  
When he returned Mae sighed and told him that she had sent a message to the others telling them that they should meet at the school computer. He nodded; looking more exhausted than when he had gone to sleep the night before.  
  
At the school, the others didn't look much better, but no one looked or felt as fatigued as Ken.  
  
"Why are we using a port at the school?" Kari asked Mae as she prepared to transport them into the school.  
  
Once inside she replied, "So we can navigate a port close to Ebonwumon's palace."  
  
TK rubbed his head, "But why not just open a port and you transport us there?"  
  
Mae was very patient with him, "Well TK I'm trying to conserve my strength. Opening portals and transporting you everywhere drains me, and I will need all the energy I have for when I fight off Ebonwumon."  
  
"Oh right."  
  
When Ken started coughing, Kari frowned and put a hand on his back, "Ken? Are you alright?"  
  
When he caught his breath again, he nodded and gave a weak smile, "Yeah, thanks Kari."  
  
Mae sighed and pointed to the area where they would open the port. "There, that's the closest we can get, we'll have to walk the rest of the way." She turned to Ken, "Are you feeling up to it? Are you sure you do not want me to heal you?"  
  
He nodded, "You need your strength."  
  
Mae gave him a last concerned look and motioned for Cody to open the Digi- port.  
  
They looked around at the lush forest that they had ended up in. The forest was dense with towering trees, and lush ferns. Flowers of all hues decorated the path, creating a wonderland-like appearance. "We aren't very far from the temple." Cody informed them. He pointed to the horizon where the roof of the massive temple stood waiting for them.  
  
"Well, we should go then." Said Mae as she initiated the movement in that direction.  
  
After a few minutes, Gennai appeared at Mae's side. He had obviously transported himself there. They were engaged in a conversation that Ken didn't really want to hear, so he remained with his thoughts. That is, until Kari moved closer to him and felt his forehead. He looked at her, trying his hardest to look well, but the beads of perspiration that were covering his forehead were a give away to the fact that he was sporting a slight fever.  
  
"I'll be fine, Kari." He urged her.  
  
"Ken, I'm sorry this is happening to you."  
  
He stepped back, "What do you mean?"  
  
She clutched her arm with her hand, "It's just, you always seem to be the pawn in some evil person's plan. It's not fair, and I'm sorry it's happening again."  
  
A small smile spread over his lips and he started walking again, Kari next to him, TK and Cody on his other side, "Thanks Kari."  
  
Mae stopped dead in her tracks and Gennai looked all around them.  
  
"What is it?" Gatomon asked.  
  
"I sense the D-Reaper." Mae mumbled.  
  
Ken shivered again, but this time it was from a sense of foreboding. Something was telling him that he was going to be swallowed by it again, and that was not a pleasant thought.  
  
Mae spun around and her eyes grew wide as she saw the floating red cloud behind Ken. The indigo haired boy spun on his heel and came face to, well cloud with it. Before anything could be said or a gasp could escape his lips, the D-Reaper had engulfed him once more and vanished.  
  
"NO!" Mae screamed, sending any digimon nearby to scurry away in fright.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Davis blearily opened his eyes. He had a strong headache and every muscle in his body was burning with a dull pain. His vision was blurred for a few seconds, and he found he was hanging above the ground, quite high up. Ropes had been tied all around his body and he imagined this is how a butterfly in a cocoon must feel. His hands where behind his back and there was no way he could move them.  
  
He turned his head to see his digimon partner hanging next to him, "Hey." The little blue creature said sadly.  
  
"Where are we?" Davis asked.  
  
"In Ebonwumon's palace." Veemon sighed.  
  
Davis turned his head the other way and saw Yolei hanging on his other side. She was awake and seemed to be very angry.  
  
"Oh finally you're awake!" she shouted, and then flinched, finding that the echo of her voice hurt everyone's already large headaches.  
  
"How long have we been here?" Davis asked.  
  
"We aren't sure exactly." Hawkmon answered from next to Yolei, who was also tied up.  
  
"This is a trap." Wormmon sighed, "For Ken-chan."  
  
"When I get my hands on that Ebonwumon creature." Yolei growled, "I'll, I'll--"  
  
"You'll what?" a booming voice said as the phoenix entered the room.  
  
"What do you plan to do with us?" She barked.  
  
"Use you as bait my dear, that's all you are."  
  
A red shadow cloud appeared in the room and Ebonwumon seemed to brighten. "Ah, excellent."  
  
The D-Reaper discarded Ken on the ground roughly and then disappeared.  
  
He lifted his head very slowly, having remembered how much his head had hurt the first time he was spat out by that shadow. His indigo hair fell over his eyes and he blinked several times before looking Ebonwumon straight in the eye and asking, "What do you want with me now and what have you done with my friends?"  
  
"Your friends are quite safe, I assure you. See for your self, they are on your right."  
  
Ken turned his head and saw his friends hanging from the roof of the white room. The scene looked horribly familiar.  
  
"Ah, good, I see you remember that time you hung Davis' friends up like this and threatened to feed them to a rather large and nasty digimon if he didn't bow down and grovel for you."  
  
Ken looked away ashamed, not hearing his friends call out to him. Then he looked up at Ebonwumon, "What is the deal?"  
  
"I think you know it Ken. I can spare one. You tell me which one and the rest are killed. Choose wisely Ken."  
  
Rage boiled in his veins and hate erupted within him. "You can't do that!" he screamed and went into a coughing fit. Through gasps for breath he asked, "Why--are you-doing--this?"  
  
"To make you hate me Ken."  
  
Swallowing, Ken looked up at him with a frown, "What?"  
  
"Well Ken, the last negative emotion that activates the Spore is Hate, and who better for you to hate than me? I'm right aren't I Ken. I see you are shaking, that's hate Ken, that's what you felt for your brother at one time."  
  
"It's me you want! So take me! But leave them out of it!"  
  
"Ah, but then the guilt factor wouldn't be high enough. You can't keep blaming Mae Ken, she feels guilty enough, but you have so much more to give."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ken asked a little irritated with Ebonwumon.  
  
"Well, lets see, there is Black Wargraymon and the Destiny Stones for a start. All that destruction is your fault. You created the Control Spires that made him, he destroyed all but one of the Stones, almost bringing destruction to all the worlds-"  
  
"Enough!" Ken screamed. "Yes I feel horrible about those things, you know I do. Why do you persist?"  
  
"To make you hate me more. Now which friend will it be Ken? Your best human friend Davis? The love of your life, Yolei? Or Wormmon, your best friend and partner?"  
  
"I can't choose you know I can't!" Ken pleaded.  
  
"Well, then they all die Ken."  
  
"You can't do that!"  
  
"I'll do you a favor Ken, I'll take away one choice." Ebonwumon looked at Wormmon and before Ken could scream 'No' the digimon vanished from site.  
  
"What did you do to him?" Ken screamed desperately.  
  
"I sent him away to be killed by the D-Reaper."  
  
"NO!" Ken fell to the ground sobbing, remembering the pain of loosing Wormmon the first time when he sacrificed his life to save Ken from the darkness. Guilt fell in his gut and clenched it like a fist around his stomach. Wormmon was dead again because of him. Anger at himself and Mae for causing all this, pumped through his veins. And hate boiled in his blood at Ebonwumon for doing this. All three combined caused Ken to cry out as a white-hot pain seared in his neck. His hands flew to his burning flesh to ease the pain, but to no avail. The Spore was active again and Ken fell to the floor, unconscious from the pain.  
  
Ebonwumon's eyes twinkled with delight; "I'll see you when you wake up, Digimon Emperor."  
  
Davis and Yolei screamed through the pain at Ken. Screamed for him to wake up, for him not to become the Emperor, but they knew all was lost. And so was their friend.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae stopped running when she reached the entrance of the temple. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped, "No. We are too late."  
  
Gennai and the others caught up to her. "What do you mean we are too late?" TK asked.  
  
She turned to the group, not really looking at them. She almost looked as if she were in a trance. "Ken has been turned."  
  
Kari's hands flew to her mouth as she drew in a sharp breath. Cody balled his hands into fists. And TK threw down his hat, "NO! What do we do now? Isn't there someway we can bring him back?"  
  
But Mae wasn't listening; in fact she was moving closer to the entrance, a grin creeping over her rose coloured lips.  
  
"Mae!" TK shouted, "Where are you going?"  
  
"To collect my partner fool." And the darkness of the temple swallowed her.  
  
Gennai looked like he was ready to break down and cry. "Gennai?" Kari asked quietly, "What does she mean?"  
  
"She is turning now because Ken's Crest has, he himself has turned."  
  
"You mean she will become that powerful sorceress she was when she tried to take over and destroy the Digital world all those years ago?"  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Kaiser: Woo hoo!!!  
  
Nic: Oh, yeah, you are gonna love your part in all this.  
  
Ken: That's typical, he loves his part and I get tortured.  
  
Nic: Aww it's not all bad Ken, I give you a very nice present at the end.  
  
Ken: Oh yay at the very end.  
  
Nic: No need to be sarcastic.  
  
Osamu: When do I get to be in it again.  
  
Mae: Some time soon. Okay, not very soon, well, your big part anyway.  
  
Kaiser: I just figured it out.  
  
Nic: What?  
  
Ken: Me too. That Mae is based on you.  
  
Mae: That's not true.  
  
Nic: No, it's not, her clothing, sure, since that dress she is wearing is a similar kind I wore for my Matric dance (senior prom). And the jeans and stuff (also the short hair thing), but other than that, she is not me.  
  
Mae: Yeah, especially when I am the dark sorceress  
  
Nic: Now, I wish I looked like her!  
  
Ken, Kaiser, Wormmon & Osamu: ^-^;; 


	9. The rise of the rulers

(A/N: Hey! Thanks so much everyone for the reviews. I guess there was a delay on the reviews for the chapters or something. Anyway, they mean a lot to me, after all, I not only write for myself, but I do it for you! Okay, next chapter things get heated, but nothing too hectic. Well till then, enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 8. 'The rise of the rulers'  
  
"I have no need for you anymore." Ebonwumon muttered and in a blinding flash Yolei, Davis, Wormmon, Hawkmon and Veemon were dumped outside the temple, in front of Kari, TK, Cody, Gennai and their digimon.  
  
"Yolei!" Kari shouted and wrapped her arms around the girl. She noticed tears streaming down her face, misting up her glasses.  
  
Over Kari's shoulder, the lavender haired girl saw Wormmon. He blinked up at her. "Wormmon! I thought you were dead!"  
  
"No, I was sent to this strange limbo place and then dumped out here with you. Is Ken-chan alright?"  
  
Davis picked up the small green digimon, "No Wormmon, Ebonwumon managed to turn him. I'm sorry."  
  
Large, sparkling tears spilled from his large blue eyes, "Ken-chan."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae walked down the corridors, with each step; she seemed to get a bit more confident. When she found the room she was looking for, she pushed open the large carved wooden doors and sauntered in. Ignoring Ebonwumon, she went straight to Ken, whose clothes were changing, before her eyes. From the dark denim jeans and baby blue shirt that he had been wearing to the blue jump suit and insect wings cape. The corner of her mouth lifted at that sight. And she bent down to whisper in his ear. "Ken. It's time to wake up."  
  
The young man blinked and got up. He examined himself. The gloves were back, the violet glasses with yellow frames. His hair was spiked and he had the slightest bit of stubble on his cheeks and chin. An evil smirk touched his lips and he looked from Mae to Ebonwumon. "Thank you both for bringing me back into existence."  
  
"Now, the Codes Emperor." Ebonwumon boomed.  
  
A short derisive laugh escaped the Emperor's mouth, "You honestly think I am that foolish? Ebonwumon, I know that if I give you the Codes now, you will kill and discard me. I want to have some fun."  
  
"You will give me those Codes Emperor or I'll-"  
  
"I tell you what." Ken said smirking, "You promise you won't kill me and I'll give you the Codes when Mae and I are done having our fun. Deal?"  
  
Ebonwumon sighed, "Very well. But you make sure it's quick, or I'll find another way to get the Codes and then I will kill you."  
  
"I understand." He turned to Mae who was smiling at him.  
  
"Shall we go?"  
  
He looped his arm into hers and they were transported out the room to a huge castle by the ocean.  
  
"This is your base?" Ken asked looking out the window.  
  
"It is now. I see what I want and I take it." She gave him a wicked grin at this. And he felt an intense feeling of desire for her. "I'm going to go take a shower." She turned and stepped into the bathroom across the room, not bothering to close the door.  
  
Soon the sound of the shower was heard and warm steam was floating on the air like mist over the sea. He stood in the doorway waiting for her to finish, and when he heard the taps being turned and the water subside; he kept his eyes on the shower door. She pushed the glass doors open and stood there for a moment, letting him study her body.  
  
He took in her delicate feet, and moved up her long, slender legs. Moving over the curves of her hips and the shadow of her abdominal muscles by her small navel. To her heaving breasts, perfect in every way and he watched as a small droplet ran down her chest to her belly button. Then he moved back up to her long, slender neck, to her pouting, pink kiss-able lips. To her intense emerald green eyes.  
  
She grinned, "Can I have a towel please?"  
  
Grabbing a white fluffy towel, he took it to her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
As she dried herself, he noticed her hair was dead straight now, and instead of being dark brown, it was a fiery red-auburn colour, cascading to her waist. She discarded the towel and moved to the closet where she pulled out a long, black dress. She slipped it on easily. It was much like her Emerald dress, only with no sleeves and a high slit, exposing her long leg, and it was low cut in the front. She went bare foot.  
  
The Emperor couldn't help but want her. There was some kind of force, some chemistry between them that they couldn't deny. It wasn't love, they both knew that they were not capable of love in their state. No, rather it was lust. A need and want for each other so strong. One day they would act on that want, on that lust, but today was not that day.  
  
"So Emperor, lets claim a world." She walked out the room and led him out doors.  
  
He watched her. Everything she did intrigued him. She seemed to have an aura of power surrounding her. He watched how she walked. Every step was with utter confidence. Like she owned the Digital world.  
  
"And with this confidence Emperor, we will own the Digital world."  
  
He jumped slightly. He hadn't realized she was listening in on his thoughts.  
  
She ignored him for the time being and continued on her quest, him trailing behind her slightly. He was her Emperor. She would never be his. It was a fact that he didn't even care about, because he knew that between the two, she was the one who would take them far. She would be the one to give him power. She would be the one to claim the land, and he would help. It was not the other way around. She was a sorceress. Powerful, beautiful. She would never be his Empress, and this did not bother him.  
  
"Where are we going?" Ken asked finally.  
  
She smiled at him and replied, "To visit a few friends of mine."  
  
When they reached the ocean, they climbed onto an island and tilted the palm tree, so it took off, like a boat floating out to sea. When they had gone far enough, they stopped. Mae lifted her hands and the water began to swirl and the island began to rise up over the ocean.  
  
"The Dark Whirlpool." Ken breathed.  
  
"You remember." She smiled. Then she shot a dark blue sphere down the whirlpool till it was out of sight. Ken knew what that sphere was. It was dark magick and he had witnessed it before with Arukenimon and her 'Spirit Needle' turning Control Spires into evil digimon. Of course Mae was far more powerful. Because what he found was that she had made Devimon rise from the Dark Whirlpool again. She looked up at the large digimon with torn wings and smiled, "Hello Devimon. Long time no see."  
  
"Sorceress. Empress." Devimon bowed to her. "What can I do for you."  
  
"Gather up the rest of the Daemon corpse. We have a job to do."  
  
"What about Daemon?" Devimon asked, "He is locked in the Dark Ocean."  
  
She turned to Ken, who was scowling, "That coward side of me locked him away there."  
  
"Don't worry Emperor. It will be easy to get him out."  
  
"Now, you have to show me how these Control Spires worked. They are ingenious!"  
  
Grinning, he spoke to her about his time as the Emperor as they sailed back to shore.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"This can't be happening!" Gennai yelled, desperation clear in his voice.  
  
Yolei looked up at him and blinked a couple of times, "What now? Is there something else that we should know about Gennai?" Anger was evident in her tone, but she was not angry with him.  
  
"Yes. We have to get to Mae's house. That's where the scroll is." Gennai said nodding.  
  
TK frowned, "But wouldn't Mae and Ken be there?"  
  
"No," the Guardian shook his head; "Mae will have found a new place for her home base."  
  
"Are you sure?" Cody started but before he could finish protesting, Gennai had transported them to the log cabin's living room. The same room where they had, just the night before discussed who would call whose parents to cover up the abduction of Yolei and Davis. So much had happened since then.  
  
Gennai had sprinted off in the direction of the library and the rest followed. The cabin was huge. One would not think so judging by the outside appearance of it. One would think it was a cozy five-bed-roomed cabin. But on the inside it was a labyrinth of rooms and passageways. As one took the corner, one would expect the passage to end, but it just went on for miles.  
  
"Wow," Patamon marveled, "This place is huge!"  
  
"Yeah," Gatomon agreed, "It's probably made this way by magick or something."  
  
"You are correct."  
  
The group turned to see whom the voice belonged to when they had reached the library. Gennai ran off to the desk at the end of the enormous room by the huge window overlooking the forest canopy.  
  
"Osamu." Davis breathed.  
  
"I still can't get used to you being here." Cody said.  
  
"Yeah," added Armadillomon, "How is it that you are here again?"  
  
Osamu sighed, "Like Gennai told you earlier, we don't know ourselves." He turned to Gatomon; "You were right about the magick thing. As you know, Mae lived most of her life in the Digital world that is until she returned about twenty-five years ago. And as you can imagine, she collected a lot of stuff over the years. So she used some of her powers to extend her house to fit it all in. That's what most of the rooms contain. Trinkets and stuff from her life."  
  
"Cool." Davis said. He turned to Gennai when he returned to the group, holding a yellowing piece of parchment.  
  
"What's that?" Kari asked.  
  
"A prophecy." He replied bluntly.  
  
"What does it say?" Veemon asked.  
  
"It says that the two once most powerful rulers of the Digital world will join forces and consummate. Then a darkness such as the worlds have never seen will pour forth and chaos will engulf the lands."  
  
Yolei's brows knitted together, "Consummate?"  
  
"Marriage by sexual inter-"  
  
"I know what it means Gennai!" she screamed, "So if Ken and Mae have sex, the Digital world and real world will be covered in darkness?" "Not just the real and digital world, but all the worlds." Gennai sighed.  
  
"But why would Ken and Mae--" Cody searched for the right phrase, "sleep together? They don't love each other do they?"  
  
Gennai shook his head, "No. In the state they are in, they are incapable of loving even themselves. But what they do feel for each other is lust. A strong want for each other. They are connected in a way you see. The Crest of Cruelty connects them to each other. The chemical bond they share is like a magnet, and when that pull gets too strong to resist, they will give themselves to each other."  
  
"When does this happen Gennai?" TK asked desperately.  
  
"The prophecy is not clear, but sometime in the near future."  
  
"Great!" Yolei exploded, "So Ken is going to cheat on me with Mae!"  
  
"I think you have more important things to worry about right now Yolei." Said Osamu as he stood in front of the window. But something was marring the beautiful view of the forest. A jet-black obelisk standing tall on the distant horizon.  
  
Cody balled his hands into fists, "A Control Spire."  
  
----~~~~-----  
  
Kaiser: Wow a lot happened in that chapter.  
  
Nic: No need to be sarcastic. Don't worry things heat up for you next chapter.  
  
Ken: Yeah, what are you complaining about, you get to perv over Mae's body.  
  
Sorceress: Actually he pervs over MY body thank you very much.  
  
Mae: Like there's much difference.  
  
Nic: Hey, play nice you lot.  
  
Wormmon: So are you gonna make them sleep together?  
  
Osamu: That would be bad right, so I'm guessing yes she would do that.  
  
Nic: You don't know me very well Osamu. But I'm not gonna say anything.  
  
Kaiser: Well, I am happy, I do really like Sorceress.  
  
Ken: I prefer Mae, but I love Yolei. *Looks around to see if his girlfriend was listening*  
  
Osamu: Well duh.  
  
Nic: *Looks around* is it just me, or is it getting crowded in here? 


	10. Power thirsty

(A/N: Okay thanks so much for the reviews guys! Woo hoo, we are getting to some of my favorite parts of the story. I should add this in, I don't own Digimon! Now on with the story.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 9. 'Power thirsty'  
  
Ken stood at the large, arched window, looking out over his land. No, his and Mae's land. He must remember his place in all this. He leaned over the windowsill to let his face catch the slight breeze. He closed his eyes and let a heavy sigh escape him. He had done a lot that morning. It surprised him how quickly things were getting done. But then he realized Mae was very power hungry and wouldn't stop to let anyone take that power away from her. He had to admit to himself, he was a bit tired. The cold that his weaker self was getting, had gone, but the fatigue still plagued him. The day so far had been busy. He had explained all his time as the Emperor and shown Mae how he had built the Control Spires. They had already captured hundreds of digimon to slave away for them, and had so far put up ten Spires. But something irritated him about this situation. The fact that he was indispensable. Mae did not need him. She now had all the information from his days as the Emperor. That was a foolish mistake on his part. She was the powerful one out of the two of them. And yes, while he had been resourceful, and smart in his plans, he did not yield as much power and respect as she. And this troubled him.  
  
"Thinking hard, Emperor?"  
  
He spun to face her. The Sorceress of the Digital World. She was leaning against the doorframe, one hand up resting on the stone frame, the other resting on her jutting hip. She flicked her deep red hair over her shoulder and walked towards him. He turned back to the land before him. She started to rub his shoulders as he breathed deeply, taking in her sweet and slightly spicy sent.  
  
"Something wrong sweetie?" she breathed into his ear, nibbling on it as she pulled back.  
  
He turned around and stormed towards the bed, where he sat down on it. She leaned against the windowsill.  
  
"Yes." He finally said.  
  
She arched an eyebrow.  
  
"You have all the power and I have nothing. I know I shouldn't complain; you did bring me here after all, but--"  
  
"But, you want to know what this feels like." She grinned as she ignited an ice blue ball of flames in the palm of her hand. "That is just a party trick Emperor." She sauntered towards a cabinet and pulled out a tall glass bottle with a pearly white substance inside it. She kneeled in front of him. "I can show you."  
  
He cocked his head at her.  
  
"You want a taste of power?" she pulled out the cork and placed the bottle in his hands, "So have a sip and tell me if you like it."  
  
Ken gingerly took the bottle and slowly brought it to his lips. The sent of it was overpowering. It smelt like marshmallows burning in a fire. He took a small sip and held the cold liquid in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. It was thicker than water, almost like melted ice cream. He felt it go all the way down. The cold sensation brought a chill to his body and then he had an overwhelming sensation to throw up. He clasped a hand to his mouth and ran to the bathroom where he bent his body over the toilet, dry heaving. Mae got up and moved to him, as she bent down to kneel with him, she placed her hand on his back, rubbing it up and down, bringing a calming relaxation to his body. A cool sweat had formed on his brow and when he sat down next to her, panting, a scowl etched itself on his face. "What the hell was that!?"  
  
She smirked at him, "See for your self." She glanced down at his hands.  
  
He lifted his hands to eye level and studied them. There was no physical difference to them, but they were tingling and itching like crazy. "What is that?"  
  
She smiled and helped him up off the floor, "Power." She led him to the window. "There," she pointed to a tree, "Blast it."  
  
"I don't know how."  
  
"Think of something, like a ball or fire or lightning. Then whatever forms in your hands, throw it at the tree."  
  
Ken looked at his hands again and to his surprise, green lightning danced between his fingers. He pointed his hands at the tree. The lightning, as if following some invisible path, connected with the trunk of the tree and it blew up into nothing but a smoldering stump.  
  
"Nice." Mae giggled.  
  
"This is incredible." Ken gasped.  
  
"It gets better. I can teach you more."  
  
An evil grin slowly crept across his lips; "I'd like that."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"It's torn." Kari pointed to the bottom of the yellow piece of parchment.  
  
Gennai scanned the edge of the page, and she was right, it had been ripped. "That means that the other half of this prophecy is missing."  
  
Davis placed his hand behind his head, "That's bad right? I mean an important part of it could be on there."  
  
"Yeah," TK nodded, "Like the solution to it. How to make it stop."  
  
Cody was still standing at the window next to Osamu. He was as tall as the once older Ichijouji (but since Ken was now seventeen, he was technically the younger brother now). They stood a few paces away from each other; both locked in silent anger.  
  
"We have to stop them." Cody finally said.  
  
Yolei turned to him from where she was sitting by a fire place holding Wormmon and Hawkmon, "I'm all for that!"  
  
"No, I mean, we have to stop them from putting up more Spires."  
  
"Cody," Kari frowned, "I think the prophecy is our priority right now."  
  
"But he is destroying the Digital World again! We have to stop him before he creates another monster like Chimeramon!"  
  
"You ARE still mad at him for that aren't you?" Yolei gasped as she stood up, "After all these years, you are still angry with him!"  
  
"Yolei," the brown haired boy started, "I'm not mad at Ken, I'm mad at the Emperor. It feels just like yesterday we were all battling him trying to take down as many Spires as we could, but we were no match for him. Now imagine what it will be like with Mae! I don't want to see anymore Digimon get destroyed."  
  
TK sighed, "I know where you are coming from Cody, but first we have to find the rest of this prophecy to find out if we can stop it, and if so, how."  
  
"But--" Cody croaked.  
  
"No, TK is right." Gatomon interrupted, "We know from last time, fighting the Emperor was just small stuff, with him joining up with Mae, you can bet they will be playing in the big leagues and we don't even know what they have up their sleeves. We first have to-"  
  
"I'm leaving." Wormmon said as he struggled free from Yolei's grip.  
  
"Where to?" Davis asked.  
  
"I have to find Ken-chan. I'm his partner-"  
  
"Are you crazy?" Cody yelled, "Wormmon! He doesn't love you! He'll hurt you, kick you around like he did the last time! Don't you remember that you had to die for him to save him! Wormmon you can't be serious!"  
  
Never in all the time had the Digidestined known Wormmon, had they seen him yell; this would be the first; "Deep down he loves me! And I am still his partner and friend! I am not going to betray him no matter what! I'm going." He scuttled to the door, "Now if you'll excuse me."  
  
"Wormmon!" Davis yelled, but the little green digimon ignored him and crawled out the door. He chased after but Kari stopped him.  
  
"Leave him Davis, if it's what he wants, we won't be able to stop him."  
  
The goggle boy dropped his head and nodded. Very sullen he moved to a corner and sat down. Kari watched him for a while and sighed to herself. He and Ken had been friends for so many years. And Ken had always feared that one-day, the Emperor would come between him, Davis and Yolei in one way or the other. He had mentioned it the one day when she found him sitting all alone at the cafeteria after having a nightmare. As long as she had known Ken, he had always had nightmares. Yolei worried so much for him. She knew that the darkness never left Ken alone and probably never would. But Davis always tried to keep Ken strong. He always tried to lift Ken's spirits or make him feel better about his days as the Emperor, but no one ever thought to lift Davis' spirits when things like this happened. She turned back to Gennai.  
  
"Gennai?" Patamon asked gently, "Why do you think Mae tore off the last piece of the prophecy?"  
  
"I'm not sure." He rubbed his forehead, "I'm not even sure if she ripped it off when she was my Mae, or when she became the Sorceress."  
  
"So what's the plan Gennai?" Gatomon asked.  
  
He pushed back the chair he was sitting on and got to his feet. "I am going to see Azulongmon, he'll be able to answer a few questions I have."  
  
"What shall we do in the mean time?" TK asked.  
  
Gennai put his hood back on his head, "You could knock down a couple of Spires. I think it would make Cody happy."  
  
Kari and TK nodded as they watched Gennai disappear.  
  
"Where's he going?" Yolei asked sniffing.  
  
Kari put a hand on her friends' shoulder and gave a weak smile, "To get some answers."  
  
TK moved to the window, "In the mean time, lets go sort out that Spire."  
  
Cody nodded with determination.  
  
"Osamu?" Davis said quietly, "Are you coming?"  
  
The violet haired boy shook his head; "Ken must not see me."  
  
"Oh, well, okay."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"My dear friend Gennai." Azulongmon boomed, "The scroll was torn?"  
  
"Yes, and now we have no way to find out how it will be stopped or if it will be stopped. Not only that, but there might be an important piece of dangerous information that might be on it and we will never have any idea what it is if we don't find the other half of the scroll."  
  
"First Ebonwumon's tertiary and now this."  
  
Gennai frowned, "You knew Mae was telling the truth?"  
  
"Not at first, no, but later I started to notice odd behaviour in him. I put two and two together."  
  
Gennai looked up at the massive dragon, "So you will help restore them to their original selves?"  
  
"Gennai, I cannot fight that battle for them."  
  
"You mean you won't."  
  
The god sighed, "Gennai you must keep in mind, I do not trust Mae, and while I do not hate her, I do not love her either. She betrayed us more than once and because of her; Ken was called forth and became the Emperor. He reeked havoc on the Digital world and might I remind you that because of him, we were all sealed away in limbo?"  
  
"I never thought you would be the one to hold grudges Azulongmon."  
  
"I will help you locate the other half of the scroll, but when it comes to the battle, I will stay clear."  
  
"Thank you my friend." Gennai bowed and faded from view.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Emperor," her silky voice called out, "I'm going out for a moment. I won't be long." She looked at him with her head tilted. He sat in a throne in front of several monitors. He turned his head to regard her.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Somewhere nearby and somewhere so far."  
  
"The Dark Ocean." He breathed, "Why are you going there?"  
  
She ginned at the slightly angry tone in his voice, "Don't worry, I'm not leaving you out of any fun. I'm going to collect someone. You stay here and have some fun. Play with the Digi-fools if you want." She waved her hand flippantly as she said this.  
  
He glowered at her; "I'm not a child you know! I will do more than play with them!"  
  
She sauntered forward and stroked his cheek, "I know, I'm sorry." She kissed him on the cheek; "I won't be long. But first I need something from you."  
  
"What's that?" he frowned.  
  
She took his right hand and pressed it to her own hand. A warmth tingled and itched over his palm and then she removed her hand from his, smiling. "Thanks." She said and then left him to be alone with his thoughts.  
  
Waiting till he was sure she had left he looked down at this hand and thought to himself, 'Just you wait Sorceress, I will prove myself to you.'  
  
He turned back to the monitor and grinned at the sight of the Digidestined destroying one of his Spires. "Oh what the hell, I have some time to kill." He got up and walked to the balcony of the castle. He whistled once and jumped off as an Airdramon flew past.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
The black clad woman waved her hand and she began to flicker and then disappeared all together. She looked out at the black and gray world before her. She stepped into the water and formed a massive black spear into the air; it pulsed once and then exploded. She waited a few seconds before she saw Daemon walk towards her. She stepped out of the water and stood face to face with him. "Daemon, long time no see."  
  
"What is going on? Sorceress you are back?" his harsh voice said.  
  
She nodded, "The Emperor and I have joined forces."  
  
"That Ichijouji boy? He was the one to lock me away in here!"  
  
"Relax Daemon, I will make sure that nothing like that happens to you again. You are my strongest weapon."  
  
"I do not trust him-"  
  
"Well I do!" she screamed, and amazingly, he flinched. She regained her poise, "Now, you give him the utmost respect Daemon. And serving him will be like serving me, no questions asked and no backstabbing. You go against him Daemon and you will have to answer to me. I know you Daemon, bare in mind, it is not wise to bite the hand that feeds you. It is even more unwise to anger the person who created you. While you are the most powerful digimon I have, I will not think twice about destroying you if you turn on him or me. Understand?"  
  
"My lady, you must understand that when I was after the Dark Spore, I was-"  
  
"If you say looking for a way to bring me back, I will kill you right now. We both know that that is not true."  
  
"My lady. I--yes, you are right." He bowed his head in shame.  
  
"Never mind that now, I have more important things for you to do. Come with me." She opened a rip and led him through into the Digital World.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ebonwumon smiled down on the situation in a large pool of water, that looked like a mirror that showed everything that was happening with Mae and Ken like his very own monitor. "Very nice. Things are coming along swimmingly. What you forget Mae, is that you are bending to my will, and the Emperor has always been the key in my plan. I could not do this without you. I must remember to thank you and Ken too, before I kill him."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: What the hell?  
  
Wormmon: I go back to him?  
  
Kaiser: I have powers?  
  
Osamu: I'm not gonna stop Ken?  
  
Mae: I was a pawn in Ebonwumon's plan?  
  
Sorceress: You mean I was a pawn?  
  
Nic: AHHHH Stop! To many questions at once! *Takes deep breath* Okay, Ken, yes it looks like your bad-ass self is here to stay for a while. Wormmon, yes you do. Kaiser: Yes you do, and you go nuts after a while, sorry. Osamu, possibly yes, possibly no. Mae & Sorceress, yes.  
  
Ken: What? Why?  
  
Wormmon: What? He'll hurt me won't he?  
  
Kaiser: I go nuts? What does that mean?  
  
Osamu: What does that mean?  
  
Mae: Explain!  
  
Sorceress: Explain!  
  
Nic: *-*;;; 


	11. An old enemy

(A/N: Okay, this may not be the third day, but honestly, I lost track of when I last updated. So I'm gonna do this tonight. The thing says I updated on the 8th, but that's impossible, as I was not on the net that night. Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews! Sylvyr Elf, I have read Gaia Lao's story and it rocked, so if it seems familiar, I can promise you it's not intentional, could have been sub-conscious, (I just know I relate to it, 'cause those feelings make me go all 'grrr'). See that's how my writing kinda works, I just type sometimes and go with it. So sorry Gaia, if it seems like I stole stuff, I really didn't mean to. (For those of you, who haven't read her stuff read it!) Oh yeah, this is for Hikari no Kousotsu thanks for reviewing. Woo hoo the half way mark!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 10. 'An old enemy'  
  
The D-Reaper entered the large throne room of Ebonwumon's palace. The stone walls were decorated with lamps of fire and crimson drapes with golden birds dancing across them. The huge phoenix was not sitting on a throne, but was looking deep into a pool of water. He approached carefully. "Master, what is it that you see?"  
  
Ebonwumon lifted his great crimson head and regarded the red cloud, "I see that Mae will be no problem to work with. She will give us the first Code. It is the boy that will give us trouble. I did not foresee that he would be so, stubborn. He knows what I am after and knows that I will do away with him if I get what I want. I will have to find another way to extract the Codes from him."  
  
"But you will do it?"  
  
"If I have to dig my claws into his brain to get them, I will."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"That didn't take too long." Veemon said as he dedigivolved from Flamedramon.  
  
"Yeah, those Control Spires aren't so tough, and nor are those two who put it up." Armadillomon said with a slight grin.  
  
"Don't count your chickens." TK warned him.  
  
"Aww, come on TC, don't be such a kill joy." Davis added as he gave a weak smile to Armadillomon.  
  
"You should really take his advice." An oily voice said.  
  
They all turned to see the Emperor standing upon an Airdramon. He grinned down on them. Cody's face was etched with fury. Yolei looked away to hide the tears in her eyes. Davis frowned hard at him. TK did the same and Kari just looked sorry for him.  
  
"Ken!" Davis shouted.  
  
"I am NOT Ken you fool!" he glowered at the teen. "You should know that we are two very different entities."  
  
"We can help you!" TK shouted.  
  
The violet glasses fell on the blond. An evil grin crept across his lips. "I do believe you owe me a re-match. I was told to remind you where we left off?" he pulled out his prized possession, his whip and snapped it as he jumped down off the Airdramon.  
  
"I don't want to fight you." TK whispered.  
  
"Funny, that's not how you felt last time. Be a sport Takaishi. I have a surprise for you."  
  
"Leave him alone!" Patamon yelled.  
  
The indigo haired youth threw back his head to laugh at the orange digimon. As he brought it down again, his eyes held an evil glare to them and he wore an insane grin. Before anyone could see it, he threw a scarlet sphere of energy at the flying creature, sending him crying to the ground.  
  
"Patamon!" TK yelled and as he picked him up, he turned to the Emperor to scowl at him.  
  
Cody's eyes flashed with rage, "How did you do that?"  
  
Ken ignored him, and continued to lunge at TK. They both went down, but obviously Ken had the upper hand. A hand that was crackling green lightning between his fingers and bringing it dangerously close to the blonds' throat.  
  
"So this is how you get your kicks now is it? Torture?" TK ground out, while trying to fight Ken off.  
  
Davis and Veemon lunged to push Ken off TK, but the Emperor shot out a large ball of purple fire, which singed the top of Davis' head.  
  
Cody's jaw dropped, "Where did he get the powers?"  
  
Ken turned to the youngest Digidestined, while he sat upon TK's chest to keep him down, "Ah, the Sorceress helped me out in that department."  
  
"So that's it Ken? You bend to her will and she gives you power in exchange?" Kari asked, quite innocently.  
  
"NO!" he screamed, "That is NOT how it works."  
  
"Oh really?" Yolei said, seething, "That's how it looks to me."  
  
"This does not concern you." He stepped off the keeper of Hope and regarded the whole group. "We will rule this world, and you cannot stop us."  
  
"You wanna bet?" Gatomon yelled.  
  
"No you don't understand. It is impossible for you to physically beat us. We are far too powerful for you. Nothing can stop us. Not even Ebonwumon." He grinned.  
  
"Ebonwumon wants the Codes from you and then he is going to kill you!" Yolei whispered, "Don't you see, you are being used again. You're just a pawn."  
  
"That maybe. But Ebonwumon is not going to get those Codes from me without a fight."  
  
"And I will be right there fighting next to you." A seductive voice rang out. The Sorceress stepped out into the open clearing of the forest. Her hands were resting on her hips as she stood next to the Emperor.  
  
When the gazes of the Digidestined rose above the two, they turned to acknowledge Daemon. They turned back and smiled to the teenagers and their digimon. "Ah, yes a little something I picked up today." Mae giggled.  
  
"NO!" Yolei yelled, "You released him! How could you?"  
  
"Quiet girl!" the Sorceress growled.  
  
"Be warned Digi-fools," Ken began, "the Digital world is ours. Don't bother trying to fight us, you WILL lose."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Cody barked.  
  
"Oh yeah." Mae mocked. She glanced at TK; "We have Devimon, Ladydevimon, Daemon here, just to name a few."  
  
TK narrowed his eyes at the two and before he could scream at them, they vanished, along with Daemon.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"What is the plan?"  
  
Mae turned around to study the expression on the Emperor's face. "You are angry."  
  
His brows knitted together, "What do you- No I'm not."  
  
"Yes you are. You wanted to play with them some more."  
  
"That's not it at all." He pushed past her forcefully to exit the control room, but she grabbed his arm and yanked him close to her.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"You haven't told me what is going on."  
  
They were very close now, and the anger that was surrounding Ken, had shifted to something else. To angst and then, slowly to desire.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'll inform you as to what goes on from now on." She smiled invitingly to him, and suddenly he found himself kissing her. He pulled away and she giggled, mocking him.  
  
"What is this? What spell have you put on me?" he demanded.  
  
"Spell? You think this is my doing?" she shook her head, "No, this is fate. A dark prophecy."  
  
"Prophecy?"  
  
She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Darkness will cover all the worlds, and we will rule them."  
  
"No, you will rule them. Let's face it, you are the one here with power, why do you need me?"  
  
She smiled softly at him, "You have power Emperor, you just don't know it yet. I will teach you. And you have the most important thing in all the worlds."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"The Codes."  
  
He pushed away from her and stood in front of one of the monitors, "What exactly are these Codes that everyone keeps talking about?"  
  
She released a long sigh and sat down on her throne, "Centuries ago, when I feared that I would be taken away from power, I inscribed a bunch of digital data on to devices called Dark Spores. My Crest, Mae's Crest, the Crest of Kindness was the only Crest that was unprotected by the Holy Beasts. All of them refused to have anything to do with it, once they learned that it had a flaw in it. So in time, I corrupted it. I discovered things about the Holy Beasts and the worlds they protected, and how they protected it. They each carried a set of Codes in their DNA, where they could open gateways to different worlds when they pleased. Of course, most of them never did, there was no need for it. However, the only worlds they could not break into and out of was limbo and the Dark Ocean. They did not have those Codes. I made it my business to find those Codes. And I did, after years of research. Of course that was before I was banished.  
  
"Anyway, I took those Codes and made them apart of my Crest. The Crest of Cruelty. I also put it on the Spores. You have one of those Spores and only when you are the Emperor and carry the Crest of Cruelty, can you fully use the Codes. They are not numbers and digits, but inscriptions, now made apart of your DNA. With the wave of your hand, you could open the Dark Ocean. When you were Ken, you were able to tap into some of that power within you, it took a lot out of you didn't it?"  
  
"Yes." He paused, "But, if you have the Codes, why doesn't Ebonwumon just get them from you?"  
  
She closed her eyes and looked away, "Unfortunately, when my powers were striped in the Dark Ocean, the Codes were stripped along with them, I only hold one Code in my memory, the rest are in you. In your mind."  
  
"I see." He looked to the window, "So what is the plan?"  
  
"It's getting late, I shall tell you in the morning."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"I want to go home." Yolei mumbled.  
  
Kari put an arm around her friends' shoulders, "Okay, I think that would be best."  
  
"What?" Cody yelled, "We can't go, we have to stop what's going on!"  
  
"We can't do it in one night Cody." Armadillomon stated, "I think it would be best if everyone got some rest and-"  
  
"No! We have to stay here and-"  
  
"Armadillomon is right Cody." Gennai said as he appeared in front of the group. "Azulongmon and I will be searching for the scroll, in the mean time there is nothing you can do."  
  
"There must be something Gennai." TK begged.  
  
"To be honest, there is nothing. You see, the Sorceress is just too powerful. When I was young, she had just being defeated and was on trial. I learned that she was even more powerful than the Holy Beasts. There is nothing you can do."  
  
"Gennai?" Hawkmon started, "Then how, may I asked, did she get defeated?"  
  
The Guardian heaved a deep sigh; "I stopped her."  
  
"How?" Davis questioned.  
  
"With--love."  
  
"Then why can't you do that again?" Yolei asked sniffing.  
  
"It's not that simple anymore. Well I don't think so anyway. She loved me before she became the Sorceress, and I was able to bring her back, but after she was banished for so long, and then came back, we both discovered that we had changed a lot. I had grown and so had she. We argue a lot and often don't see eye to eye. Our love for each other is not as strong as it once was."  
  
An awkward silence fell over the group; this was very personal information they had received from someone that they hardly knew. Sure Gennai was their Guardian, but they hadn't really spent much time with him before.  
  
"You should really go." Gennai eventually said.  
  
"Are you sure?" Kari asked.  
  
He nodded, "It's getting late, and your parents will wonder where you are."  
  
"Okay."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Master?"  
  
Ebonwumon turned to the D-Reaper, "Yes?"  
  
"How do you know the Sorceress will give you the Code?"  
  
"Because like both you and I, she wants darkness and power."  
  
"So why doesn't she just convince the Emperor to give you the Codes?"  
  
"He is too smart for that. That's why the prophecy works so well. He will surrender to her whether he wants to or not and then the Spore and the Crests will merge and become one, causing the first wave of Darkness to flood the worlds, leaving all barriers weak. That's when I no longer need the Emperor and that's when I will torture him for the information I want."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: This is all very complicated.  
  
Nic: Tell me about it. I'm the one who has to keep track of everything.  
  
Kaiser: I'm glad I'm just a muse.  
  
Wormmon: What happened to me in this story?  
  
Nic: You appear in the next chapter. It's a long way for you to make all across the forest you know.  
  
Osamu: I see I wasn't in this chapter.  
  
Nic: No, I told you, your moment comes later.  
  
Sorceress: When is something really interesting going to happen?  
  
Mae: Soon.  
  
Nic: Yeah what she said!  
  
Ken: Oh, yeah, when Gennai said, 'When I was young-' you mean how young?  
  
Nic: Not a boy or anything, I mean, when he had just been created. I'll explain. When Mae, Gennai and the other Guardians were created, they were not children who grew up, but looked just like they do now. Gennai is younger than Mae is; (she was created just hours after the Digital world). Gennai was created a few years before Mae crossed over to the Dark side for the first time. Everyone clear on that now?  
  
All: Uhuh. 


	12. Getting closer

(A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Now I have to tell you things are getting heated. Suggestions of adult themes are on the menu, but they aren't explicit or anything, so it's safe. This is one of my favorite chapters so I hope you enjoy it too.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 11. 'Getting closer'  
  
  
  
Ken thrashed about in his queen-size bed. The black silk sheets were only covering his waist and legs and even then, one leg was visible at the calf. His right arm was flung over his head, which was tossing back and forth on his pillow. Sweat was beading all over his body and his brows were furrowed. Something in his nightmare startled him and he sat bolt upright, gasping for air. He rested his saturated head on his knees to think for a moment. Then as if trying to push away his thoughts, he pulled off the sheets and got up to go to the bathroom. The light reflected off him and shadowed every muscle in his body. He rolled his shoulders when he looked at his reflection. He was only wearing navy blue boxer shorts. "I should put something else on." He mumbled. And in a second, he was dressed in his Emperor gear, all except the glasses and cape. He marched to the control room. It was late and dark out, he wandered if the Sorceress was awake, and if so, what was she doing without him? He turned on one of the monitors and saw that she was in fact sleeping. Her bed was queen-sized too. A four poster with scarlet drapes wrapped around the polls. Her sheets were scarlet silk, making it hard to define the sheets from her hair. She was wearing a small satin nightdress. Black and very sexy. He watched her turn onto her side. The sheets slipped off her leg, letting it be exposed to her thigh. He left the room and slowly made his way to hers.  
  
He stood in the doorway watching her. Sensing him, she awoke and propped herself up onto her elbows, "Something wrong?"  
  
He nodded and moved closer.  
  
"You're feeling insecure."  
  
He looked to her almost amazed that she knew that, but then, she could read his thoughts.  
  
"Why?"  
  
He took a deep breath, "Why do you need me?"  
  
"I would not be here without you. I have nothing if I don't have you." She smiled softly at him and then the look changed to a hard one, "You don't trust me."  
  
"I don't."  
  
"I won't betray you Emperor. Never will I do that."  
  
"Everyone betrays me. I even betrayed me, by becoming that, that-"  
  
"Shh." She pressed a finger to his lips, "I promise you, I will die before I betray you."  
  
He smiled slightly, knowing that she will never die, and then leaned in to kiss her. She ran her fingers through his spiked hair and slowly he pulled away.  
  
"I want to do it now."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
He looked out the window and then back to her, "Whatever it is you are planning. Lets do it now."  
  
"Very well. By the end of this week, we will rule the entire Digital World." She stood up and proclaimed.  
  
He gave a slight laugh, "The Digital world is huge! There is no way that that is possible. It took me two months just to claim the East Side."  
  
She smirked at him, "Ah, but you didn't have me then, and you didn't have the powers you have now. Or the resources."  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"The Daemon Corps, they are out there now, claiming land for us. The prisons are full; Control Spires are going up everywhere. We have so many slaves; we are running out of things for them to do. Ladydevimon is in the North taking land, Devimon is here in the East, Marinedevimon is in the West and Daemon is in the South. No one can stop us."  
  
He grinned and was about to kiss her again when something caught his eye. He squinted at the door, "Wormmon!" he growled, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I thought you might need my help-"  
  
"I have all the help I need thank you. I don't need some useless worm around to try and 'save' me from myself."  
  
Wormmon looked down and moved out of the room to hide in Ken's room.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Yolei tossed and turned in her bed too. The words of that days conversation kept replaying in her mind; 'How did you defeat her last time?'  
  
'With--love.'  
  
"So why does Gennai think that his love is not strong enough this time?"  
  
"What was that Yolei?" Poromon asked.  
  
"I was just thinking, that if love saved Mae last time, maybe it will save her and Ken this time." Yolei turned over in her bed to face her digimon.  
  
"I'm sure it will Yolei."  
  
She pulled the covers away and hopped out of bed. She ran her fingers threw her long lavender hair and stepped up to the screen of her computer, "I hope this works."  
  
"Yolei what are you doing?" She looked back at the digimon; "I am going to see if I can open the port on my computer like I used to. Digi-port open!"  
  
"Did it work?"  
  
"Yes, it did." She said breathlessly. "Come on."  
  
"Don't you think we should tell the others we are going?"  
  
"Good idea, I'll mail them when we get there."  
  
"Okay." And with that they were sucked into the Digital World.  
  
She was dressed in different clothes than she used to wear. Now she was wearing a purple skirt and white three-quarter top. She looked around and noticed a white castle in front of her. Then she glanced down at her D-3 and saw Ken's signal blinking at her. "That's where he is Hawkmon."  
  
"Yolei," the bird digimon started, "are you sure you want to do this by yourself?"  
  
"Yes!" she said with determination, "No chick in black is going to take away MY man!"  
  
When she was in the castle, however, she now felt the gravity of her situation. And now she did wish she had told the others to come along. She had mailed them to tell them where she had gone, but they would only get that in the morning. She was sneaking down a passageway when a silky voice stopped her.  
  
"What do you think you are doing here?"  
  
Yolei spun around to see the Sorceress standing only a few feet away from her. The lavender haired girl straightened up and tried to look confident, "I'm here to get Ken!"  
  
The red-head laughed silently threw her nose at Yolei, "Face it Love, he is not yours anymore. He has another lover now."  
  
"Who would that be? You?" Yolei scoffed, "You think he loves you?"  
  
"I know he doesn't love me. And I don't love him either. No, I was referring to Power. That's what he is in love with and that's what we have in common."  
  
Yolei narrowed her brown eyes at the Sorceress. "I will bring him back to me you know. Before that prophecy can be carried out!"  
  
"Oh really?" she looked over Yolei, to something behind the lavender haired girl. She spun to look at what the Sorceress was looking at, and found the Emperor standing behind her.  
  
"Ken." She breathed.  
  
He practically ignored her and moved to the Sorceress, where he placed an arm around her neck and kissed her, passionately, wild and rough, not the way Ken used to kiss Yolei. The emerald eyes of the Sorceress glanced at Yolei while he kissed her and all Yolei could do was seethe with anger as she quickly forced herself to look away.  
  
He pulled away from her and looked to Yolei, "What is she doing here?"  
  
"She broke in, it would appear."  
  
He turned his back on both of them and waved his hand behind him, "Put her in a prison cell. And her digimon somewhere far away from her."  
  
The Sorceress' eyes flashed with delight as she turned on Yolei.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Davis sat on his bed with his head between his knees.  
  
"Davis?" Demiveemon said quietly, "Are you okay?"  
  
The goggle wearing teen lifted his head and looked at his blue partner. He sighed deeply and shook his head.  
  
"I know we will get Ken back Davis. Don't worry."  
  
"I know we will get him back Demiveemon, it's just--Gennai told us a while ago, that it takes a very strong person to come back from true darkness. What if he can't do it a second time?"  
  
"I don't understand what you mean."  
  
He picked up the little digimon and put him in his lap, "I mean, Ken had a lot of problems after the first time he was evil, I'm just worried that he will go insane or something after the second time."  
  
"Oh." Demiveemon bowed his head; he really didn't know what to say to that.  
  
A beeping sound caught both their attentions. It was coming from Davis' backpack. He looked at his watch. "Who would be mailing me at two in the morning? I hope this isn't bad news." He moved over to his bag and picked it up. His eyes ran over the lines of the message and a frown creased on his forehead.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Davis lifted his head to regard his blue digimon; "Yolei has gone to the Digital World to save Ken."  
  
"That's not good. We should follow her."  
  
"That's just what I was thinking. I'll mail the others to tell them and hopefully they won't be too far behind."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken marched down the passageway of the stone castle. Determination was carved on his otherwise delicate face. He was making his way to the dungeon. He forcefully pushed open the door and stepped in front of Yolei's cell. He glowered down at her, boring in to her. If it were possible, he would have burnt a hole in her. She slowly lifted her head to look at him. She was surprised to see his blue eyes, his glasses were absent. Tears stung the corners of her large brown eyes. He opened the cell door and stepped in, closing it behind him. He stood a few feet from her.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked with such harshness in his tone, it made Yolei flinch.  
  
"I-I'm Yolei. Your, your girlfriend. Or Ken's anyway. I'm a Digidestined-"  
  
"I know WHO you are!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the walls, "What I want to know is, WHAT are you?"  
  
Her expression changed from scared to confused, "I don't understand. I'm a woman-"  
  
Ignoring her, he went on, "What are you doing to me?"  
  
She opened her mouth again to respond, but he didn't notice.  
  
"First the Sorceress, and now you! I can't get you women out of my head! I have these feelings. These wants, these damn desires. How the hell am I supposed to get any work done when you are all I think about?"  
  
She stared at him, "You think about me?"  
  
He whipped his head around to look at her. He scowled, "Yes! For some reason you haunt my dreams! I don't love you, I don't love the Sorceress either but yet there you both are, in my head all the time! It's driving me nuts!"  
  
"Ken-"  
  
"I AM NOT KEN! I AM THE DARK DIGIMON EMPEROR!"  
  
She flinched and covered her ears as his voice boomed back off the walls. When she looked back up, he was panting and slowly moving back to the door.  
  
"Wait!" she urged.  
  
He spun round and looked at her, waiting.  
  
"I, please don't--"  
  
His face was blank and almost sad. Looking at him made her heart break. Ever so slowly he walked back to her and then pushed her against the wall, kissing her hungrily. He moved from her lips to her neck and as he did so, she moaned softly. She didn't want this. Or did she? But before she could fight with her conscience, he pulled away and backhanded her across the cheek. She fell to her knees and her hand flew to her red stinging face.  
  
Wordlessly he walked out of the cell and slammed the door behind him. Yolei heard him walk further and further away from her. She was so scared for him. For herself. She didn't want to loose Ken. She couldn't imagine life without him. She slumped to the floor and cried till her body could not give anymore and she fell asleep.  
  
He was angry. Fuming even. At what he wasn't sure exactly, yet. He stormed to the room where the Sorceress had given him his first taste of power. He practically ripped the door off its hinges when he opened the cabinet containing the tall glass with pearly white power swirling in it. He pulled the cork out and pressed the bottle to his lips, with no hesitation this time. He took several long swallows before wiping his mouth clean. He shuddered and felt nauseous again, but he pushed the feeling away. "I'm in control now!" he growled. A dark expression formed on his face and he marched to the Sorceress' room. He blew the door from its hinges, startling Mae from her position on her bed. She got up and was about to walk closer to him, but he stopped her by shortening the distance between them. Wordless, he pushed her back onto the bed and started to climb onto the silk sheets. She did not resist him; instead she climbed on top of his torso and began removing his clothes, kissing him every so often.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: That's where you are leaving it?  
  
Nic: Uhuh.  
  
Kaiser: Things sure are heating up.  
  
Nic: Actually I thought things were getting slow, but yeah, things pick up again next chapter.  
  
Wormmon: What happened to me?  
  
Mae: You'll see.  
  
Sorceress: Well, finally that prophecy is going to happen.  
  
Osamu: Yeah, hang on, aren't you supposed to not let that happen?  
  
Nic: I'll just shut up now, before I give anything away.  
  
Ken: You wouldn't destroy the worlds would you?  
  
Osamu: That's a trick question right? Hello! She killed you in two of her fics remember? I think anything is possible.  
  
Nic: Well, you'll just have to wait to find out. 


	13. Time running out

(A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! You rule! I'm so glad you are enjoying this! Okay if you hated the last cliffhanger, you're gonna kill me for this one, but enough about that, on with the story!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 12. 'Time running out'  
  
Davis rode upon Raidramon, his hair whipping in the wind. "Davis," his digimon started, "You do realize we have no idea where we are going."  
  
"That's not true, Yolei said in her e-mail that they are in a Castle."  
  
"Do you see a castle anywhere?"  
  
Davis looked around and to his left he saw a large white castle standing tall, "Yes! There!"  
  
"Well, that was just too lucky." Raidramon quipped.  
  
They changed direction, but stopped quickly when large thunderclouds started to form over the castle. They swirled, creating a horrible contrast of gray and almost black, painting the picture of ice cream and chocolate sauce being stirred in the sky. Davis and Raidramon looked up at it and swallowed.  
  
"That can't be good." Davis choked.  
  
"It's not."  
  
Davis and his digimon spun around to see who had spoken.  
  
"Gennai." Davis gasped, "I should have know it was you."  
  
"What is that?" Raidramon asked.  
  
"The Darkness." The Guardian said gravely.  
  
"As in the Darkness in the prophecy?" Davis raised his eyebrows.  
  
"The same." Gennai nodded.  
  
"Did you find the scroll?" Davis questioned as he turned back to look at the circular cloud forming above the castle and climbed off his digimon.  
  
"No. Azulongmon said he would look, but quite frankly, it could be anywhere."  
  
"I hope the others get here soon." Davis said anxiously as he cringed when a lightning bolt thrust forth from the deep gray clouds. A strong gale- force wind suddenly picked up, blowing sand and other debris high into the air.  
  
"That doesn't look good."  
  
Davis, Raidramon and Gennai turned to see who had spoken. It was TK; he was squinting at them and the castle.  
  
"That's what I said." Davis commented as he saw Kari, Cody and their digimon follow TK out of the television set. "I'm glad you guys are here."  
  
"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to sleep through a beeping D-terminal." Cody yawned. He looked at the clouds over the castle, which were now, spurting out bolts of blue lightning very frequently. "Yolei is in there?" he shouted over the howling of the wind.  
  
"Well, that's what we assume!" Davis yelled back, "That's where she said she was heading!"  
  
"This really doesn't feel good." Kari commented as she rubbed her arms.  
  
"And in a few hours, it will be a lot worse. We have to get in there and save Ken and Mae from the darkness." Gennai indicated to the castle.  
  
"But the darkness already has them doesn't it?" Gatomon questioned.  
  
"Only just. They are still not truly evil. If they where, they would feel nothing. And they would be incredibly ruthless, and powerful. You think they are powerful now? Take a look around you."  
  
The group glanced over their shoulders and all around them, noticing that Control Spires where everywhere, and there wasn't a digimon insight.  
  
"Jeez," Davis rubbed the back of his head; "I didn't even notice those."  
  
"Well, the dark clouds and white castle do sort of draw your gaze to them." TK quipped.  
  
"You can bet that if they were truly evil, all this would be a lot worse! Well, we really should get in there. The faster the better." Gennai urged.  
  
The group stared at the white castle. It was contrasting so brightly against the heavy gray clouds. The wind was getting stronger and the lightning even more frequent and numerous. It was going to be a daunting task to get near the castle, never mind about getting into it.  
  
"Wait!" a voice rang out behind them. It was Osamu; he was running towards the group, fighting against the strong wind. "I'm going with you."  
  
Gennai frowned down at him, about to say no, but the violet haired youth interrupted him, "I'm going Gennai! I'm not loosing my brother a second time!"  
  
"Very well." Gennai sighed, "I'll transport us all into the castle, from there we look for Yolei and then Ken and Mae."  
  
The group nodded, as they faded from view, while Gennai transported them into the white, towering castle.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"NO!" Ebonwumon's voice ricocheted off the walls several times before the D- Reaper spoke to him.  
  
"Master, what has happened?"  
  
The great firebird looked down on the red cloud; "It's too soon. I have not prepared yet."  
  
"What is too soon?"  
  
"The prophecy. It is coming to pass. I am not ready. Mae has not given me the Code. Damn. I will have to go there and interrupt it!"  
  
"Are you sure that is wise?"  
  
"I don't care right now, all I care about are those Codes and I'll be damned if I let those two have their power and worlds!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
The Sorceress leaned over his chest, kissing it with hunger in her eyes. He grinned at her and tossed her off him, so he could climb onto her. He propped her up, so they were both sitting upright, holding each other in rapture. They kissed, wild, hungry, rough. He ran his fingers through her dark red hair, pulling at it at times, just to hear her moan. She ripped off the top of his jump suit, exposing his bare, muscular chest. She lifted her arms up, inviting him to remove her nightdress. He did so quickly. She ran her fingers up his back and brought them down, digging her nails into his flesh, causing it to bleed just a little. He gritted his teeth and groped her neck, in much the same way a vampire would have. They both stopped and looked up with their heads bowed. Their eyes were dark. "You had more potion." The Sorceress stated.  
  
The Emperor nodded an evil grin on his face.  
  
"I warned you not to have more, I'll have to punish you for that." She smirked and then bit her lip.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Wormmon!" Yolei gasped in her cell as the little green digimon approached. "What, how did you get here?"  
  
"It took a while, but I made it. I heard what Ken told Mae to do to you. To put you in a dungeon. I'm here to get you out. Bad stuff is happening out side Yolei."  
  
"The prophecy." Yolei breathed.  
  
"I think so." Wormmon held something over one of his antenna, something gold and shining.  
  
"Is that a key?" Yolei inquired glancing at the ring over his antenna.  
  
"Uhuh. I stole it from Ken's room. You won't tell him will you?"  
  
Yolei bent down to take the key off him, "Never Wormmon, your secret is safe with me. Thanks."  
  
"It's the least I could do."  
  
Yolei unlocked the cell door, scooped Wormmon up into her arms and ran up the steps, "Do you know where Hawkmon might be?"  
  
"I have an idea. I'll direct you."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Where are we?" Armadillomon asked when they had gotten their wits about them.  
  
"I'm not sure exactly." Gennai mumbled looking around, "We should try to keep out of sight, and keep as quiet as we can."  
  
"I don't mean to be funny or anything, but if Ken and Mae are getting it on, I doubt we will be thought of." Davis looked up and down the passage. "Which way do we go?"  
  
Gennai frowned at Davis.  
  
"What?" Davis shrugged, "It's true!"  
  
Kari shook her head and led the group down the passageway.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"I think he is around here." Wormmon mumbled as he and Yolei looked around in all the cages.  
  
"There are so many digimon here. We should try to free them."  
  
"I don't think there will be time for that." A British voice called out.  
  
"Hawkmon!" Yolei ran to the cage and unlocked it with the master key Wormmon had stolen. She embraced the bird digimon.  
  
"We should get out of here." Hawkmon urged after getting his breath back.  
  
"Right, but what about the digimon?"  
  
"There's no time Yolei." Wormmon whimpered, "We can sense something bad coming."  
  
"Okay." She sighed reluctant to leave all those captured digimon behind. She sprinted back up the stairs, Wormmon in one arm, Hawkmon in the other.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ebonwumon swooped down to the castle. It was like a rock in comparison. He looked at the dark clouds swirling above it and the lightning crashing from it. "I will get what I want, and this will not stop me!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Do you guys here something?" Patamon asked.  
  
They all stopped to listen and heard panting coming from the stairwell. Yolei doubled over when she reached the landing and then looked up at the group.  
  
"Yolei!" Kari shouted and went to hug her friend.  
  
"You're alright." Cody smiled, relieved.  
  
"Yeah, but do you guys know where Ken is?" the lavender haired teen asked, looking up and down the hallway.  
  
"No, we were hoping you would know." Davis folded his arms.  
  
"Wait." Wormmon suddenly gasped, "I think I know where he is!" He leapt from Yolei's arms and started bounding down the dimly lit, stone hallway. "Follow me!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
She wrapped her legs around his waist and he leaned her against one of the wooden posts of the bed. He ran his hands up her arms, pinning them against the post, kissing her harshly. A dark aura surrounded them both, but they hadn't noticed, and if they had, they welcomed it. The Emperor dropped his hold on her arms so she could continue digging her nails into him. He was about to kiss her again, when the remains of the charred door fell away and their attentions were drawn to the six people standing in the doorway with their digimon. The couple scowled at them and grabbed at the sheets to cover themselves. Yolei looked away, tears stinging her eyes once again and her hands balling into fists of rage. The Sorceress wrapped the scarlet sheets around herself, making it resemble a dress. She narrowed her eyes at Gennai, "That's a bit rude don't you think?" she hissed.  
  
The Emperor was about to add something when his attention was redirected at the door. A figure with spiked violet hair and gold rimmed glasses stood staring at him. Ken fell to his knees as his brows knitted together, "No, its' not possible." He muttered.  
  
"Hello Kenny-boy." The youth smiled sadly.  
  
"NO! This can't be happening! You can't be here! This isn't real!"  
  
Osamu walked closer to his brother and kneeled down in front of him, "Yes it is. I can't let you do this again Ken. I can't loose you again."  
  
Ken looked up at his brother, tears in his crystal blue eyes. He looked to Yolei at the door crying. Then to Mae and the others, "NO!" he yelled and clutched his head; "I don't want to be the Emperor anymore! I never did! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He fell to his elbows and started pounding the ground.  
  
Gennai looked in to the Sorceress' eyes, before embracing her and kissing her gently. She resisted at first but then a pink aura started to glow around Yolei and then Mae. The woman fell limp in Gennai's arms and he turned to thank Yolei. She shrugged, wiping away the tears, "Sure, but I'm not sure how I did it."  
  
"Just by using your Crest." He replied.  
  
"I've missed you so much Osamu." Ken cried, hugging his brother.  
  
Osamu opened his mouth to reply but a loud ripping noise interrupted him. Their gaze all followed the same path to the ceiling, which was being ripped away. Ebonwumon looked into the room as if it were a dollhouse. Without a word or a chance to react, he sent down a glowing orb, which swallowed Ken, and floated back up to the huge phoenix, like a bubble.  
  
"NO!" Yolei, Davis and Osamu screamed.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Oh no.  
  
Nic: Mwahahahah! Oh yes.  
  
Osamu: Woo hoo! I was in it and I did like my part, but now what?  
  
Kaiser: Aww, no more me in it then?  
  
Mae: I don't think so.  
  
Sorceress: And no more me?  
  
Wormmon: You are cruel, vicious and inhumane.  
  
Kaiser & Sorceress: She's me.  
  
Nic: *Frowns at them* Am not!  
  
Ken: What are you going to do now?  
  
Nic: You'll see, but I know you won't like it Ken-chan.  
  
Ken: Figures. 


	14. Tug of war

(A/N: Okay time for another disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Thanks for the reviews everyone, Night Sky, good to see you again. I'm glad you are enjoying this, and good to see you again Gaia Lao. Thanks for reading and reviewing Kiseki, I'm glad you like this. Okay, here goes.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 13. 'Tug of war'  
  
"NO!" Davis, Yolei and Osamu screamed. Ken panicked as he looked down upon his friends from the blue sphere. He pressed his palms against the bubble. Every part of his body shook. Granted he was only wearing a pair of silk boxer shorts, but he was not cold. No, something else was making him shake. It was the power inside of him. Bubbling and boiling inside of him, desperate to get out. Before he knew what was happening or before he could stop it, a dark blue pulse of energy burst from his hands and shattered the sphere he was in.  
  
In Gennai's arms, the Sorceress snapped her eyes open and pushed herself to her feet. In a ripple her black dress had formed on her body and she stood tall with her hands outstretched. Ken was falling at a rapid pace and if something were not done about it soon, he would meet his end with the ground. "KEN!" Wormmon screamed.  
  
And then he stopped. He just stopped falling. It was the Sorceress. She had stopped his fall and was guiding him back to the ground safely, and he too rippled as blue jeans and a white shirt covered his body. When Ken was safe she looked darkly up at Ebonwumon.  
  
"Your fun is up now, my turn!" the firebird called.  
  
"I will not let you have him!" the Sorceress said calmly and red lightning started to crackle in her hands.  
  
"Oh really? And who is going to stop me?"  
  
"I AM!" she yelled as she shot the lightning at the Holy Beast. He shrieked in pain as it connected with his body. Giving him no time to retaliate, she clapped her hands together making the sound of thunder. The dark clouds that had formed above the castle, started to swirl and make a tornado effect all the way to her hands and then around her body, slowing down to a black aura around her. She gave Ebonwumon one more dark look and then exploded the dark energy forth at him. He lay motionless for a few moments. The group thought that he was dead, but then he started to move and slowly got up. He took flight again and Gennai barely had time to yell for Mae to look out when one of Ebonwumon's crimson attacks hit her dead on, sending her crashing into a wall. She fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
Ken in the mean time was having a hard time controlling the powers in his body. His head was throbbing and his hands felt like they were on fire. He felt as if his skin had insects crawling all over it and every time Yolei tried to comfort him he would freak out and shoot a ball of green flames by accident. "Get away from me Yolei! I'll hurt you!" he screamed when lightning started to form between his fingers.  
  
"And now I will claim my prize." The huge bird growled happily. He sent down another sphere to collect the indigo haired teen. Ken tried to escape it a second time, but to no avail. He had no idea how to use his powers and when he looked down, his friends got smaller and smaller until they were out of his line of vision all together.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Yolei fell to her knees. She shook with tears. This was too much for her. All this in one day. Kari rested a hand on her friends' back, "Yolei, are you-"  
  
"NO!" she screamed, "No Kari! I'm not okay! I walk in on my boyfriend, the love of my life, getting it on with Miss Evil over there. Then some freaked out digimon god almost catches him, and then he freaks out with these powers and then gets caught again! NO! I am definitely NOT okay!"  
  
"I'm sorry Yolei." The child of Light soothed.  
  
Yolei fell limp in Kari's arms for a moment before she got up and determinedly walked over to where the Sorceress lay. She knelt down and swung her hand back preparing to slap her, but she hesitated when her form shifted. Her hair changed to dark brown and wavy, and her dress changed to the emerald one she wore before. Yolei narrowed her eyes at Mae and brought her hand down connecting it hard against the pale flesh, and Mae awoke with a start. "That's for doing what you were doing with my man!" Yolei growled.  
  
"Fair enough." The brunette whispered. She looked around, "Where is Ken?"  
  
"Ken!" Davis yelled, "Has been captured by Ebonwumon!" he stormed over to the window and looked at the horizon hoping to see his friend there.  
  
"That is not good." Mae said anxiously.  
  
"Mae, we have to get Ken back, and soon. You know what Ebonwumon is going to do to him." Gennai turned to the window as well.  
  
"Why? What?" Davis asked, "What will Ebonwumon do to him? He can't get the Codes now that Ken isn't the Emperor anymore. He can't turn him back can he?"  
  
Mae shook her head, "He won't bother to turn him now, he'll just search Ken's mind for it."  
  
"Search Ken's mind?" Yolei narrowed her eyes at the Crest Guardian.  
  
"Yes, it is very dangerous and risky. That is why Ebonwumon did not try it to start with, but he is impatient now and will not care about the consequences." She moved to sit on the bed, "This is my fault." She whispered.  
  
"We have to get him back." Wormmon urged.  
  
The emerald clad woman stood up again and nodded her head as if agreeing with someone, "I have a plan. You will not like it, but for now, it is the only thing that we can do."  
  
"What is that?" TK asked.  
  
"The Daemon Corpse. I will assemble them and order them to attack Ebonwumon's base while we rescue Ken."  
  
"Are you mad?" Gennai shouted, "Mae! The Daemon Corpse? How do you even know if you can control them?"  
  
"I know I can. Just trust me Gennai."  
  
"Wait a minute," Yolei blurted out, "I thought all of them except Daemon and were killed in the real world, which means that they weren't reconfigured."  
  
"That is true Yolei, but I have a power, the power to create life, and I went to the real world and reconfigured them myself, that is when I was the Sorceress, it was just after I went to collect Daemon."  
  
Gatomon looked up at the Guardian, "Mae," she whispered.  
  
Mae bent down so Gatomon could whisper in her ear, "Do you think you could, I mean, does that mean you could reconfigure Wizardmon?"  
  
"I'll have to see Gatomon, it has been many years since he has been gone." She looked at the sullen expression on the cat-digimon's face, "But I will try."  
  
Gatomon smiled brightly at her, "Thank you."  
  
"Anytime Gatomon, but first we have to make sure we have a world to reconfigure him in."  
  
"Okay," Yolei shouted, "if we are going to do this, we should do it now!"  
  
Mae looked to Gennai, "Well? Do you object?"  
  
"You know how I feel, but you are right, it's the only option we have, Daemon is the only one who's power matches Ebonwumon's."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken only noticed that he had passed out when he awoke to find himself sitting in the same blinding bright white room. His body still shook with power, but that was the least of his worries. He was strapped into a silver chair and couldn't move at all.  
  
"Oh, good." Ebonwumon smiled, "I was wandering when you were going to wake up."  
  
"What are you doing?" Ken spat.  
  
"Finding an alternative way to get those Codes from your brain."  
  
Ken swallowed and narrowed his eyes at the bird. He was incredibly angry, uncontrollably even and his mind was a jumble. He was having trouble focusing on one thought at a time and this worried him immensely. He could feel himself slipping. All this was just too much for him and his brain couldn't seem to absorb it. First he lost his brother after making a horrible wish, and ended up becoming the sadistic and cruel Emperor. After all that he had done as the Emperor, he was defeated and then had to live with all the pain and guilt from that time. All that was enough, but then Mae makes him think he is loosing his mind by impersonating him and hurting his friends to teach him a lesson. After years, when he thinks his life is finally coming right, Mae comes back and tells him that he has these Codes that can destroy all the worlds in the universe, and in order for Ebonwumon to get them, he has to become the Emperor. Which he did and hurt so many people and digimon in the process. He will never forget the heartbreaking look on Yolei's face when she saw him in the arms of the Sorceress. Now, he has to live with new guilt and still the Codes will fall into Ebonwumon's claws anyway and it will be his fault. He couldn't take this anymore.  
  
"Okay, Ken, this won't hurt at all." Ebonwumon cooed.  
  
Ken looked up at the Holy Beast; all hate for the firebird evident on his face.  
  
"Well, not for me, anyway." He chuckled.  
  
All Ken felt was nauseating pain burst into his head and a loud screeching sound pulse in his ears. He yelled out in pain and shut his eyes tight, wishing, hopping, praying that he would pass out. Or black out. Or--die. But he did not get his wish. He sat through every agonizing second of the 'search' that Ebonwumon was conducting, until he had found what he was looking for. He pulled away and the pain and noise stopped. All that was left was a dull throb pumping in the blue-eyed youth.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
In almost no time at all, Mae had assembled the Daemon Corpse in the Southern region of the Digital world. She had used a form of telepathy to call them together. However they were quite shocked to find that Mae had called them and not the Sorceress.  
  
"What is this?" Daemon asked.  
  
"This," Mae said curtly, "Is me asking you for your help to rescue Ken."  
  
Daemon laughed harshly, "What makes you think that we will help you? Have you forgotten that Ken locked me away in the Dark Ocean years ago?"  
  
"Yeah," Ladydevimon added, "we only work for the Sorceress and the Emperor, and it's apparent that they are not here."  
  
Devimon laughed with her. TK scowled at the horrid digimon. He couldn't believe that he was seeing him again. He wanted to destroy him right there and then.  
  
"Listen to me Daemon," Mae said calmly, then she looked up at the rest, "and all of you. I suggest you listen to me and help us unless you wish to be destroyed."  
  
Marinedevimon cackled at her, "Oh really? You need us. You won't destroy us."  
  
Mae placed her hands on her hips, "So does that mean you will help me?"  
  
It was his turn to laugh, "Never!"  
  
"That's what I thought." Mae sighed and ignited a purple flame in the palm of her hand. Then in her other hand she floated some black substance, like rubber over it.  
  
"What are you doing?" Marinedevimon asked a worried tone in his voice.  
  
"This." She added the black substance to the flames and on contact; the flame turned bright crimson and disappeared. In the same time, Marinedevimon shrieked with pain and disintegrated into a thousand pieces and disappeared, dead.  
  
"You killed him." Cody gasped.  
  
Ladydevimon said that same thing.  
  
"I warned him." Mae sighed, "Now, who is with me?"  
  
No protest was heard and the plan was initiated.  
  
They reached the temple and gave each other a quick nod before they ran inside. "Now remember," Mae said quietly, "you grab Ken and run, don't worry about me."  
  
The battle happened instantly. Mae, Daemon, Devimon and Ladydevimon entered the white room, bursting through the doors; they were ripped from their hinges. Ebonwumon only had time to turn to them when they attacked him all at once. He fell back and yelled out in surprise and pain.  
  
The group of teenagers and digimon plus one Guardian ran in, unnoticed because of the battle going on. They caught site of Ken in the chair and rushed towards him. He was just sitting there, a blank stare on his face. It went unnoticed for the moment, as their top priority was to get him out of there. They untied him and Yolei helped Gennai put him on to Aquilamon. They turned back to see the fight going on. Mae was standing tall with her arms outstretched again and her hair was flying wildly around her. Surprisingly, the Daemon Corps was giving it their all too. 'Afraid Mae will kill them.' TK thought idly.  
  
Ebonwumon got up and laughed hard. Mae narrowed her glowing green eyes at him, "What is so funny?"  
  
"All this." He indicated to their battle and the marks it had left on the walls, "It is so pointless."  
  
"How is that?" Mae bellowed.  
  
"I already have what I want and it would seem so do you."  
  
Mae took a step back, her jaw went slack and she gazed up at the firebird. "You have, you have the Codes?"  
  
His red eyes flashed as she turned and ran as fast as she could to the diminished doors.  
  
'NO!' she thought to herself, 'No, I can't let him get the last Code!'  
  
"Don't bother Mae. I have that last Code. It was in his memory after all."  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him in horror, before turning and running to the doors, halfway across the room, she transported herself out. 'It is the end of everything.' She thought grimly to herself.  
  
Ebonwumon turned to the red cloud; "You know what to do. Bring him to me so I may dispose of him."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Oh this is bad.  
  
Kaiser: Ah, chaos, you gotta love it.  
  
Wormmon: Do we ever get to see what the rest of the scroll said?  
  
Nic: One day.  
  
Mae: Things are really picking up.  
  
Nic: You should see what I have for the next chapter then!  
  
Ken: *Reading notes* Is there no end to my torture?  
  
Nic: No. ^-^  
  
Ken: *-*;;; 


	15. Battle for sanity

(A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews guys! This is another one of my favorite chapters! Also, I should have pointed out a long time ago that the reason I use the American names for everyone but not for Sam is because I prefer Osamu to Sam. It just sounds better. Well season 3 has finally started here, if I'd known it was gonna start, I would have held this back to double check on Ebonwumon and D-Reaper, but oh well. Also, today's episode was titled, "A question of trust" I did not steal that, I had no idea they had an episode with that title. Anyway, on with the story.)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 14. 'Battle for sanity'  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Davis asked as he waved his hand in front of Ken's vacant face.  
  
Yolei frowned hard and moved closer to look into her boyfriends' eyes. She found that they were empty. There was no emotion in them whatsoever and this frightened her. "What did Ebonwumon do to him?" she yelled as she stood up straight.  
  
"He took the Codes from him." Mae panted as she appeared in the living room of her cabin.  
  
"He has the Codes?" TK gasped.  
  
"That means, that he can end the world?" Cody choked.  
  
Gennai looked hard at Mae; "He'll kill him."  
  
"Who will kill who?" Davis growled.  
  
Mae turned to him quickly; "Ebonwumon will kill Ken. We have to get him out of here."  
  
"He's not going anywhere on his own steam." Gatomon sighed.  
  
"No!" Mae gasped, "This is very bad timing. We have to get him out of here."  
  
Yolei marched up to the Guardian of Kindness and stood so close to her that Kari was afraid she would knock Mae over when she started to shout. "Look," Yolei started, "I'm sorry that my boyfriends' catatonia is a problem in your schedule, but he is your charge, so therefor you should do something about it and make sure he is NOT killed!"  
  
Mae took a step back from Yolei. "I can try." She said quietly, and proceeded to kneel in front of Ken. She placed her hand on his forehead and closed her eyes. In a few seconds she gasped and pulled away, panting.  
  
"What happened?" Veemon asked.  
  
"His mind," She breathed, "it's so full. He rejected me, he won't let me in."  
  
"So now what?" Kari sighed.  
  
"Yolei, Davis." Mae called. The two moved to stand by her. "You can go. He will accept you."  
  
"What?" Davis yelled, "Go into his mind? But you couldn't handle it, so what makes you think that we can."  
  
"Because you have to. You are his closest friends, and are the only ones who can bring him back. I will do the hard part of getting you in but the rest will be up to you."  
  
Yolei nodded her head slowly. "Right," Mae said, "both of you put one hand on his forehead and hold my hand with the other. Then close your eyes and try to relax and clear your mind. I must warn you that each person's mind is different, but mostly like a huge house with many rooms. Like my cabin for example. Try to keep focused on finding him and not to get frightened or distracted by the echoes and things you see and hear. Understand?"  
  
"Uhuh." Yolei nodded.  
  
"Okay." Davis mumbled.  
  
When they opened their eyes again, they found they were in a chaotic looking house that resembled the Emperor's base a bit. It was horrible to be in. Voices and whispers kept calling out every so often, making them both jump. 'If you can't play by my rules--' 'Who am I?' 'But I've been anything but kind.' 'Control the entire Digital World!' 'Couldn't tell mom and dad about it, because as far as they were concerned, he could do no wrong.' They glanced at each other and then looked around themselves.  
  
"This is kinda odd." Davis commented.  
  
"What? Ken's head or the fact that we are taking a stroll in it?" Yolei stepped out of the way as a digimon (Elecmon) ran past her down the passage and out of sight. A few moments later, it was evident what he was running from. The Digimon Emperor came charging past with his whip in his hand. Apparently, he did not see Yolei or Davis standing there. He too vanished from view and they continued down the long dim hallway.  
  
"Do you think that that was the real Emperor?" Davis asked.  
  
Yolei shook her head, "No, but don't be surprised if we did run into him."  
  
"Where do you think he is?" Yolei looked around her and at all the doors down the passageway.  
  
"He could be anywhere." Davis voiced. "Are you really uncomfortable with this?"  
  
Yolei turned to look at the goggle wearing teen, "Not so much. Well yeah a bit, but I would think you being his DNA digivolving partner would not be as freaked out about it as I am."  
  
"Well DNA digivolving is different to this. I don't go into his head or anything. I just feel like we are, trespassing you know?"  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean."  
  
'I own this world and everything in it!' the voice of the Emperor rang out, echoing off the walls. Both teenagers flinched and looked around.  
  
'You hold the Codes to the Barriers.' This time it was Mae's voice, followed by Ken's, 'So the weight of the worlds rests on my shoulders?' he was obviously questioning himself, 'I have caused so much damage already, now this. I shouldn't be alive.'  
  
"Oh God Ken." Yolei sobbed.  
  
"This is all Ebonwumon's fault!" Davis yelled, "Look at what he has done to Ken!"  
  
"Lets go." Yolei whispered as she started walking towards a green door.  
  
"What do you think is in there?" Davis asked as he caught up.  
  
"I don't know, but I saw bubbles coming from it."  
  
"Bubbles?"  
  
"Ken and Osamu used to blow bubbles together, he told you a while ago remember?"  
  
Davis nodded, "But why do you think there would be bubbles here?"  
  
The lavender haired girl shrugged, "Lets find out shall we." She groped the door handle and turned it. She slowly pushed the door in and peeked her head inside. A little boy with a mop of indigo hair was sitting on the floor blowing bubbles by himself. He looked quite content and happy sitting in the empty, quiet room. He wore a purple T-shirt and beige shorts with white socks. He turned around and his big blue orbs fell on Davis and Yolei. A smile stretched from ear to ear. "Hello."  
  
"Is he real, or will he disappear like the Emperor did?" Davis whispered.  
  
"No," Yolei mumbled back, "I think this is Ken."  
  
"But he's little."  
  
Yolei moved close to the chibi Ken and knelt down in front of him, "Hello Ken."  
  
"Hello Yolei." He blew another bubble.  
  
"Ken, why are you hear?" she asked.  
  
"I'm safe here." He simply said and continued to blow bubbles.  
  
"You know you can't stay here forever." Davis knelt down next to Yolei.  
  
The child nodded his head, his hair falling on his eyes.  
  
"What do you mean you are safe here Ken?" Yolei pressed.  
  
"Out there, all these bad guys want me to do bad things. I don't want them to. I'm a bad boy and I hurt people. So I stay here and then I can't hurt anyone."  
  
Davis frowned, "Ken, it's not your fault that all that stuff happened. You can't keep blaming yourself."  
  
"But I made 'Samu go away, and I made a big mess in the Digiworld. I made Wormmon go away and then I made her go away." He pointed to Yolei.  
  
She tilted her head, "But I'm still here Ken."  
  
"But you'll leave me too. Everyone leaves me. And everyone hates me." He got up and ran out the room before the two could stop him.  
  
"Great, we lost him, now we have to try and find him again." Davis sighed. Yolei wiped a tear away from her eye and nodded as she followed Davis.  
  
They stepped out of the room and made their way down the hallway. There at the end they found a large window with a silhouette of a boy standing in front of it. They walked closer to the boy and the window and found that the youth was crying. Silent tears rolled down his soft pale cheeks at the view outside of the window. It was the Digital world in ruins. Control Spires were everywhere and there was not one digimon without a dark ring. Oikawa was there too, though he did not speak, his voice fell over them, 'You have a dark spirit in you.'  
  
The twelve-year-old Ken tuned to them, "He's right you know."  
  
"Ken," Davis sighed, "the important thing is that you fight it, that's what makes you a good person."  
  
"It's hard." He said plainly as he turned back to the window.  
  
"Ken," Yolei whispered, "Why do you think I will leave you?"  
  
The indigo haired boy lifted his hand and placed it on the cool glass of the window. "I'm just a weapon for everyone aren't I? I hurt people. People die because of me. Digimon were killed and hurt because of me and yet I still can't fight him the way I am supposed to!"  
  
"What are you talking about Ken?" Davis inquired.  
  
"I mean, the Emperor. Do you know what it feels like to not feel remorse? Or Guilt or pain?"  
  
"Well, no I -"  
  
"Exactly! That's why you don't understand. It's too much. All that that's going on out there. I caused that! And I don't blame Mae anymore. She was just doing what she had to do. I chose my path and I don't like it! I walk around with so much guilt and pain and I don't know how to get rid of it. I'm sick of feeling that way. But then I just feel like I am doing better, and HE comes back." He tuned to Yolei, "He, I hurt you. And I know that all this is bad to think like this, but I miss him. He makes it go away. Like a drug or drink that makes it all just go away."  
  
And again before they could stop him, he opened another door and disappeared.  
  
"That's getting annoying." Davis mumbled.  
  
They opened the door and found that the room was dark with one lit candle in the center on a table. A young man walked towards the table from a corner. Yolei reached for a light switch and turned on the light. She found that it was Ken at age seventeen. "I'm sorry Yolei and Davis, but I can't come with you."  
  
"Why not Ken-chan?" Yolei choked.  
  
"I can't take it anymore out there. It's just too much."  
  
"But Ken," Davis started, "we need you."  
  
"To do what? Make more destruction? Don't you see? I could have stopped him, I had the power to, but I couldn't I don't know why. I guess I just couldn't think or handle it right. And what if that happens again. Besides it's already too late!"  
  
"That's not true." Yolei soothed, "We need you Ken. The worlds do and only you can stop it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know exactly, but Mae says that you are the only one who can."  
  
"All right, I'll, I'll come." Ken walked forward and disappeared.  
  
"Not again." Davis moaned.  
  
"No, I think we can go now." Yolei said motioning him to follow. As they walked passed they saw a door standing open and heard a boy yell from inside it. It was Ken; he had just being infected with the Dark Spore and was shaking from pain and fever. The door next to it was open too and there they saw what Ebonwumon had done to him. He was screaming so hard that no sound escaped him, even though his mouth was stretched open. His eyes were rolling back in his head and he convulsed violently. Yolei looked away quickly, as Davis rolled his hands into fists, anger at Ebonwumon boiling up inside him.  
  
In a flash Davis and Yolei opened their eyes again and this time found themselves back in Mae's living room. Ken jumped slightly and looked around then at Yolei and though he so badly wanted to keep it all in, he couldn't restrain the tears from cascading from his painful blue eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. Everyone looked away for a moment to give him time and then when they parted, Mae turned to him.  
  
"I have to get you out of here. Come with me." He stood up and followed the emerald clad woman to her bedroom. It was one of the largest rooms in the house with a large queen sized bed in the center with pale emerald sheets. The headboard was large with iron ivy creeping across it. She led him to a large yellow wood cupboard. She opened it to revel many glass bottles with an assortment of contests. She reached for the tall one at the back. The contents were as green as her eyes and almost glowing. It was a thin solution of something. "My power." She said simply.  
  
"I'm not drinking that." Ken said firmly, "Last time I drank 'power' it got me in a lot of trouble."  
  
"I swear Ken, this is for your own safety. For when I cannot protect you. It only lasts for ten hours. You will have most of my powers."  
  
Ken eyed the bottle closely and then Mae's eyes. She seemed so desperate for him to drink it. Her eyes however would not rest on him for more than a few seconds. They darted around the room at the windows instead.  
  
"What is it?" Ken asked, sensing her anxiousness.  
  
"Ebonwumon." She took a deep breath to calm herself, "Ken, he is after you. He wishes to kill you. I cannot, no, will not let that happen. This world as well as the real world depend on you."  
  
"What do you mean? Why would Ebonwumon care about me now? He has the Codes. And what do you mean the real world and Digital world depend on me?"  
  
"You Ken are the key in all this. You not only held the Codes for the barriers to come down, but for them to come up again. You can fix any rip in space. I have to teach you though. Ebonwumon does not want you alive, because that would mean, you could easily stop him."  
  
"So what happens now?"  
  
"You drink this. We run as far away from here as possible so I can teach you to access the Codes. You need the power incase I am not there to protect you."  
  
"Why don't we just transport ourselves away from here?"  
  
"It will take up too much energy. Things like healing and opening portals would drain both of us. Please Ken, drink it. It is important that the others come with us, to help fight Ebonwumon off if necessary. I will not be able to keep you as well as them safe without your help."  
  
Ken narrowed his eyes at his Guardian. She wanted to look away, but his intense blue eyes kept her gaze fixed on him, as if an invisible bridge were keeping it there. "You've seen what is going to happen, haven't you?" Ken breathed.  
  
"Yes Ken. And I did not like what I saw."  
  
"All right, I'll do it." Ken said as he took the bottle from Mae. His hand shook as he brought it close to his lips. He took a deep sip of the emerald liquid, but instead of being cold like the last time he took a sip of 'power', it was warm all the way down, like hot chocolate, and it gave him a sleepy sensation as the warmth reached his head.  
  
"How do you feel?" she asked softly.  
  
"Tired." He replied slowly.  
  
"Give it five minutes. You'll feel fine." She led him back to the living room, where the others were gathered and waiting for instructions.  
  
"It's time to go." Gennai said to Mae.  
  
She nodded her head and looked out the window. Storm clouds had started to gather in the baby blue sky. "Lets go."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Kaiser: What a crappy ending!  
  
Ken: Why do you say that?  
  
Kaiser: It wasn't intense or gripping like the others.  
  
Nic: Yeah, well, I think the whole point at where this story is at, is cliffhanger enough.  
  
Wormmon: Yeah, Ebonwumon has the Codes, Ken can stop him destroying the worlds, and Ebonwumon wants Ken dead, what else do you want?  
  
Kaiser: Fine whatever.  
  
Osamu: Why is he so moody?  
  
Mae: He's out of the picture that's why.  
  
Nic: Aww poor thing!  
  
Kaiser: -_-; Oh yeah, wait! You ripped that whole catatonia thing off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer!  
  
Nic: Guilty. Actually when the idea struck me, I didn't even realize that I took it from Buffy when I was half way through, but yeah, subconsciously, I guess I did get the idea from it. So um, yeah, there we are then. 


	16. Speeding up

"Weight of the worlds" 15. 'Speeding up'  
  
The group of Digidestined, digimon, and Guardians had been walking for what felt like hours. No one had spoken for almost all that time and things around them were starting to become dark. As if the sun were setting too early. The storm clouds were blocking out the early morning sun and putting a damper on their moods.  
  
Ken was feeling relatively tired still, but energetic at the same time. His eyes burned with fatigue, it had been almost a week since he had not had a decent nights sleep. Yolei was watching him from where she walked next to him. He didn't notice, because he was studying the back of Mae's head.  
  
"You are falling in love with her aren't you?"  
  
Ken turned his head to face Yolei, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I see the way you look at her. She is beautiful and-"  
  
"No Yolei, that's not it at all. I don't love her like I love you. It's just, we have this connection, and I don't know how to explain this, but I just feel like I know her really well. It's strange. But I'm in love with you."  
  
Yolei smiled a little. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I should be sorry for what I put you through-"  
  
"Ken, I love you, and I know that the Emperor is not you, not the you I love. I know that it wasn't you in the arms of the Sorceress, it was him and that's what matters."  
  
Ken closed his eyes, "It's not that simple Yolei, you just can't push it away. You hurt I can feel it, and I hurt you." His voice became louder as he spoke, and anger was evident in it, "Look around you Yolei, see all this destruction, all those Control Spires? Those clouds? I caused all that! No matter what part of me who did it, it was me non-the less! I can't do this anymore! I can't Yolei, I thought I could, but I'm not strong like you or Davis or-"  
  
"Ken." She sobbed as she wrapped her arms around his shaking body.  
  
"I'm scared Yolei." He said into her shoulder, muffling his voice, "I'm so scared."  
  
She stroked his hair and let her hold him for as long as he needed.  
  
The others stopped so as not to let them fall behind. Ken straightened and wiped away his tears giving Yolei as small smile, "Thanks."  
  
She returned the smile, "Anytime."  
  
They resumed walking, but after a few minutes Mae stopped and stood dead still.  
  
"What is it?" Gennai asked. "D-Reaper." She breathed. She turned to look at Ken then back to Gennai. "Take him far away from here."  
  
"Mae, you aren't going to--?"  
  
"Yes, now go!"  
  
No other words were spoken, as Gennai led the group away from Mae, who had shape-shifted into Ken.  
  
Time seemed to slow down as Mae stood there waiting for the Red cloud. She moved to a near by stream, where she looked at her reflection, but it wasn't hers, it was that of her charges'. Hearing something behind her, she stiffened and whirled around. Her eyes darting all over the show. When the time was just right, she turned and ran. Running was different in Ken's form for her; she was used to being quicker and not used to his indigo bangs flying in her eyes. Then she heard it behind her, the grating laughter of the D-Reaper. She was leading it away from the real Ken, and she couldn't waste time fighting with it. Her first priority was to get as much distance between herself and Ken.  
  
"You think I am a fool don't you?" it's hollow voice boomed.  
  
She didn't look back or acknowledge it, she just kept running.  
  
"I know who you are, Mae."  
  
This stopped her. She spun around to face it.  
  
"Fool." It laughed, "You left your charge unprotected, making it so much easier for Ebonwumon to destroy him."  
  
Mae's eyes grew wide.  
  
It chuckled, "Yes, that's right, he's out there right now, going to destroy the Ichijouji-"  
  
Mae ignored the rest of the sentence and started running back towards the area where she had left Ken, after a few strides, she disappeared, transporting herself there.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"You can't have Ken!" Stingmon yelled, "Spiking strike!" But the attack had almost no effect on the huge firebird Digimon and he was swatted to the side into a tree, dedigivolving as he slumped to the ground. Ken picked Wormmon up into his arms and nuzzled him before passing him over to Yolei. He walked forward to Ebonwumon.  
  
"You want me, come and get me."  
  
"This shouldn't take long." Ebonwumon eyes flashed as he prepared an attack, but Ken beat him to the punch and released a strong wave of deep indigo energy, like a pulse. The great bird stumbled backwards and his attack changed direction. Ken wouldn't have been able to stop it even if he did have more time to see it coming. Yolei was down in an instant after she screamed. "NOOOOOOOOO!" Ken's voice broke from screaming and he rushed to her limp body. She was lying on her side, twisted horribly, the corner of her mouth was ripped slightly and crimson liquid crawled down from the wound, staining her cheek. Ken dropped to his knees, and picked her up into his arms. She was so limp and lifeless. Then something else dawned on him, Wormmon. He whipped his head around to look for his green digimon, his best friend. He had been thrown just a few feet from Yolei. Davis was already picking him up and bringing him to Ken.  
  
"LOOK OUT!" Kari screamed as she saw Ebonwumon prepare for another attack. Before the thought could enter Ken's head, his reflexes took over and he threw out his hand behind him, erecting a powerful protective energy field. The Attack rebounded and hit Ebonwumon, sending him shrieking.  
  
Mae appeared in font of them, running, not acknowledging any of them, but striking a powerful lightning bolt at the already weak Ebonwumon. She was relentless, and didn't give the Holy Bird a chance to attack. Gennai joined her side, using some of his powers, as well as all the other Digidestined and their digimon.  
  
Ken leaned over his girlfriend and best friend. He took a deep breath and held his hands over the both of them. Yolei's breathing was very shallow, and her chest hardly rose as she took in breath. He trembled as he focused on what he was doing, perspiration beading on his forehead. His hands glowed white and shone over two of the three most important things in his life. He remembered what Mae had said about Healing, that it drains a person, but right now, he knew that Mae would do the same thing. After he had given all that he could give, he fell to the ground, lying on his side, breathing hard and shaking all over.  
  
Yolei fluttered her eyes open and turned her head to the side, she looked down at Ken, and smiled. She helped him to sit up and brushed away the strands of hair sticking to his forehead. Wormmon crawled over to his partner and nudged his leg with his head. Ken smiled wearily and picked him up holding him in his arms. The three of them looked back at the battle raging on.  
  
From their standpoint they could not tell who was winning, but judging by the warping horizon Ken had to say that Ebonwumon was in the lead. The walls to the worlds were already weak from the Control Spires, now they were so thin; a slight breeze could rip them apart. Ken was seeing things in slow motion now. All this was too surreal, the way Mae spun around, her eyes glowing brightly, the attacks coming from all the digimon and Ebonwumon. He saw Mae start running towards him, she turned back once to yell, "Get the others Gennai!" and then continued to close the distance between her and himself.  
  
She grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet, "Run!" He didn't have time to say goodbye to Yolei or Wormmon or Davis or any of the others. She didn't allow anytime time for it. Ken had to run, he felt his body protesting against it, but he knew if he didn't, he was going to be killed. And that was not what was keeping him going. Right now to him, his life was nothing; it was not his priority. But if he were to die, thousands upon thousands would die and they would be the lucky ones. The worlds would suffer and so would the inhabitants of them. His life was important to stop that from happening, and that's what was driving him.  
  
He blinked, looking around him, noticing that they had covered quite some distance. "Ebonwumon isn't following us." He panted.  
  
"No," Mae confirmed, "the others are keeping him busy, letting us get away."  
  
"What are we doing Mae?" Ken swallowed, "I mean, where are we running to? Why can't I stop this now?"  
  
"It's complicated, but right now there is nothing to stop. But soon there will be." She stopped for a minute, "Look around you. You see the warps; they will burst and tear apart soon. That is the time when you must strike. Timing is very important in all this."  
  
"What do I do? I don't know how to-"  
  
"I'll teach you, but first I have to get you somewhere safe."  
  
Ken followed Mae's gaze to where she saw Ebonwumon flying towards them. She took off again, and he followed after. Ken was pushing himself to the limit, he knew it, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could do it. He was so drained from healing Yolei and Wormmon, as well as lack of sleep and everything else that had gone on over the past few days. He stumbled and quickly got back to his feet.  
  
"Couldn't we transport?" Ken yelled.  
  
"We are both too drained, we won't be able to and if we did, we wouldn't be able to move on the other side of where we end up."  
  
They glanced behind them again, and noted that the Holy Bird Digimon was closing in on them. And in pursuit, were Gennai, the Digidestined and their digimon.  
  
They turned to look ahead of them again and stopped dead on a cliff edge. Pebbles that were by their feet plummeted to the ground below, bouncing off the rocks on the side into the black void below. They looked back and then at the depths of the fall. They took their chances with the fall. Simultaneously they jumped from the cliff edge, Mae fell, but Ken was jerked from the air by Ebonwumon's sharp talons.  
  
"NO!" Mae screamed as she plummeted to the ground. She stopped too, and floated herself up to the huge bird. She gripped the talon and tugged, pulled, scratched and stabbed at it all in effort to release Ken, but to no avail. Ebonwumon shook his foot, sending Mae to the ground below. She hit one of the jagged rocks of the cliff, giving her a nasty gash on her right side.  
  
Ken struggled furiously to get free, but his muscles were too weak, he fell limply in the bird's claws and sighed. He looked at the world around him and in a sudden burst, every warp and ripple exploded with a bright white flash. And the real world and Digital world started to flow into each other like a transparency overlapping the one over the other. All the horrors of the Dark Ocean were present as well, and the dark sea spread over the skies.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Good Godfather!  
  
Kaiser: Good Lord!  
  
Osamu: I think she is going to do it.  
  
Wormmon: You really think she would end all the worlds?  
  
Mae: Who knows what goes on in that head.  
  
Nic: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz *sleeping on the desk*  
  
Ken: Why is she sleeping?  
  
Osamu: She got home at 7:00am this morning after being out all night.  
  
Kaiser: *Cracks whip* Wake up!  
  
Nic: *sits up startled* Euripides!  
  
Wormmon: Bless you.  
  
Nic: No no! The Trojan Dames! Alas alas, my miserable fate! Of ruined Troy!  
  
All: Huh?  
  
Nic: Mother of Hector, that brave chief, whose spear once pierced the Grecian squadrons, seest thou this?  
  
Ken: What is she going on about?  
  
Kaiser: *Picks up paper she is reading* Oh, it's a Greek play.  
  
Nic: For Drama Duologes. It's all very dramatic.  
  
All: Uhuh.  
  
Nic: Oh yeah, before I forget, Stingmon was there because the Control Spires are no longer active, they stopped being active when Ken stopped being the Emperor.  
  
Ken: Oh right.  
  
Nic: *falls back onto the desk* zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 


	17. They said a hero could save us

(A/N: Okay thanks for all the reviews everyone! Welcome aboard Ladychichi and hello again Authoress*Crest! Hope you enjoy the rest of this ride! Okay, I wrote this while listening to the song Hero (from the Spider-man CD) so if you read this to that song, (as well as the rest of the chapters) it will really put you in the mood. But you don't have to. Also a Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon but I do own Mae, as well as the other Crest Guardians and the Light Masters. If you wish to use them ever, just ask (you'll have to give me credit) but why you want to use them is beyond me. Okay with that said, enjoy this chapter!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 16. 'They said a hero could save us'  
  
"It'll be quick for you Ken."  
  
Ken didn't have the strength to lift his head to acknowledge Ebonwumon. Instead he hung there helpless taking in all the destruction going on around him.  
  
"Quick but painful."  
  
A scream caught in Ken's throat when a sharp stabbing pain throbbed in his side. He felt something warm soak his shirt and managed to look down and see the crimson blood coming from a wound one of Ebonwumon's talons inflicted.  
  
'This is it.' Ken thought to himself, 'I'm going to die and I'll never get to prove to Yolei how much I love her."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae pushed herself up off the rock, clutching her side. She tried to straighten up, but the burning gash prevented her from doing so. She levitated herself out of the gorge and focused on sending Gennai a telepathic message. 'Gennai. You have to gather the other Crest Guardians. He has Ken.'  
  
Gennai held out his hands to the others, stopping them in mid pursuit. He nodded his head and changed direction.  
  
Kari's mouth fell open at the sight around them. The world was in utter chaos, and screams of Digimon and humans, and things that were unrecognizable as human filled the air. The ground shook violently as they ran following Gennai.  
  
"Where are we going?" Davis yelled.  
  
"To fetch the other Crest Guardians!"  
  
Thunder clapped in the sky and a yellow car came speeding into the Digital world from seemingly nowhere and crashed into a tree. The occupant was fine, but shaken as she stepped out of the car.  
  
The ground gave another shudder and a large crack split the earth, swallowing anything and anyone near it.  
  
The world was dark, just like the Dark Ocean, and the two worlds kept overlapping each other.  
  
"Kari!" a deep voice echoed from nowhere and everywhere.  
  
The brunette stopped dead and felt a chill run up and down her spine. TK and Gatomon stayed by her side. "I kn-know that voice." She whispered.  
  
"Kariiiiii! Be our queen!" "NO!" Kari clutched her head and doubled over, "Not you again!"  
  
Gatomons' eyes widened, "Those are those creeps who tried to get you all those years ago!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae started running trying to catch up with Ebonwumon, but her weakness and pain prevented her from travelling fast. She stumbled and tried to pick herself up. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I will not let you die Ken!" she screamed, letting her voice carry through the digital world.  
  
The earth beneath her shook, but she paid it no heed. She took a deep breath and held her hand over her wound. Sweat formed on her forehead and her hand glowed, healing the torn flesh under it. When the skin was healed she fell on all fours, panting hard. Healing herself had drained any energy she had left, but she couldn't help Ken with the wound, so it had to be done. She pushed herself up to her feet and tried her hardest to run.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken felt so detached from everything around him. He wasn't in pain anymore, he just felt numb. And he was slipping in and out of consciousness. He forced himself to stay awake but his body was too weak to listen. When he awoke again, he found himself on the ground, Ebonwumon standing over him.  
  
"Now Ichijouji, look around you, because you will never see any of this ever again."  
  
Ken turned his head to the side, seeing the destruction and chaos going on. In a flash, he saw what Ebonwumon's attack had done to Yolei. Then he saw Davis dying in the pouring rain, his goggles smashed. Wormmon was being deleted. The worlds were covered in darkness, and everyone was suffering. Kari was being dragged into the Dark Ocean's depths. TK drowned trying to save her. Cody lay dead in the rain. Ken narrowed his eyes and shook his head. Those things had not happened yet. But they would. He had just had a vision. With new strength, he got up and faced Ebonwumon with a scowl.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"NO!" Kari screamed. "You can't take me!"  
  
TK listened for the voice, but it didn't come again, "It's okay Kari, it's gone."  
  
"TK don't let them take me please."  
  
"Never." He wrapped an arm around her waist.  
  
"Gennai!" a voice called out.  
  
Gennai spun to see nine figures running towards them.  
  
"Gennai!" called a male dressed in a similar cloak to Gennai', the only difference being; it was pale blue.  
  
"Friendship." Gennai greeted.  
  
The man with light brown spiked hair bowed. "Gennai we came as soon as the worlds started to collide."  
  
"Mae was right." A woman dressed in the same style dress as Mae's only pink bowed as well. She brushed her long blond hair over her shoulder and looked to Yolei with her large blue eyes and smiled.  
  
"Yes she was." Gennai nodded. He turned to the Digidestined and their digimon. "These are the other Crest Guardians." He gestured to the woman dressed in pink first, "This is Love." Then next to her was another woman dressed in white, her eyes too were blue and her hair was a long sheet of caramel. "This is Sincerity." A man with long dark brown hair tied back into a braid bowed. He wore a pale green cloak and his eyes matched his hair. "Courage." A woman dressed in silver smiled down at Cody her green eyes boring into his, her long brown hair falling over her shoulders. "Reliability." Next to her was another male with his black hair tied back into a ponytail. He wore a dark blue cloak, "Knowledge." A woman dressed in white with long pale pink hair and brown eyes smiled down at Kari, "Light." And a man in a pale yellow cloak with light brown spiked hair and green eyes nodded to TK, "Hope."  
  
All the Digidestined and Guardians bowed to each other and smiled.  
  
"How come you don't have names like Mae?" Davis asked.  
  
"She is technically no longer a Crest Guardian, and in the real world, she picked up that name for herself." Knowledge informed them.  
  
Love turned to Gennai, "Where is Ebonwumon? She will need our help."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae fought to stay conscious, she pushed herself forward and eventually collapsed to the ground, to weak to go on, "I'm so sorry Ken." She cried, "I failed you. You are on your own now."  
  
"No he's not!" Yolei shouted from atop Aquilamon.  
  
Mae looked up and saw she was not alone, all the Digidestined were with her, as well as Gennai and the other Crest Guardians.  
  
"You came." She breathed.  
  
"We would never leave you." Sincerity ginned.  
  
"But I thought you," Mae hung her head, "I thought you hated me."  
  
"Mae," Friendship sighed, "we never hated you. We were just angry with you, but we learned that it was not your fault, your Crest held a flaw. We were asked to keep away from you."  
  
She nodded as Gennai helped her to her feet.  
  
"Where's Ken?" Yolei, Davis and Wormmon all asked simultaneously.  
  
"I don't know," Mae choked, "Ebonwumon took him, I don't know where."  
  
"Can you sense him?" Hawkmon asked.  
  
"Just barely."  
  
"I can help you." A booming voice called out.  
  
They all looked up to see Azulongmon hovering above them. "I know where he is. Follow me."  
  
With not another word spoken, they followed the Great Dragon Digimon.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"You will not destroy the worlds!" Ken whispered. He was still so weak, and just standing was an effort.  
  
"Ha! You are going to stop me? Not even the great Crest Guardian Mae can stop me. Besides, you don't have the strength to kill an insect Ichijouji, so what makes you think you can kill me?"  
  
"I never said anything about killing you. I just want to stop you."  
  
"Well, it will be a fight to the death, I guarantee you that, and it won't be my death that will end it."  
  
"Don't count on it!" Azulongmon flew in and struck the smaller Holy Beast.  
  
"Azulongmon!" Ebonwumon hissed as he regained his poise.  
  
"What is this all about Ebonwumon? What has made you want to destroy both worlds?"  
  
"I can answer that!" Mae yelled from atop Aquilamon. "The D-Reaper has corrupted him!"  
  
"Ken!" Yolei yelled as she jumped off Aquilamon to go embrace her boyfriend. With her arms around him, he almost collapsed. But he had to say conscious, he knew he had something important to do.  
  
"This ends now Ebonwumon!" Azulongmon roared.  
  
"I knew he would come through." Gennai smiled.  
  
"I thought you said that he would not get involved." Gatomon commented.  
  
"I guess he had a change of heart."  
  
"Good thing too." Mae said as she started to walk forward and stand under Azulongmon.  
  
"Mae what are you doing? You can't fight." Gennai urged.  
  
"It's something I have to do."  
  
Ken tore himself from Yolei's arms and started to make his way towards Mae.  
  
"Ken," Davis frowned, "you're too weak! What are you doing?"  
  
He turned back to face them, "What I have to do." Then he joined Mae and Azulongmon.  
  
Everyone turned to each other and started to walk towards where Mae, Ken and Azulongmon already were. They stood there, all together ready to fight. To fight till the end if that's what it took.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Nic: Alas alas!  
  
Ken: Oh dear she is still in the Greek theater mode.  
  
Nic: *starts laughing*  
  
Kaiser: What's so funny?  
  
Nic: Euripidies, you pay for these!  
  
Osamu, Ken, Wormmon, Kaiser: *raise their eyebrows* Huh?  
  
Nic: Don't you get it? You rip-a-dees, you pay-for-these? You have to say it in an Italian accent! It's a rip off of the Greek playwright Euripies. *Starts laughing again*  
  
Ken: Must be an inside joke.  
  
Nic: I get no respect.  
  
Mae: I respect you even if I don't understand you.  
  
Nic: Thanks. -_-; 


	18. Mending walls

(A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm really sorry I was late with the last chapter, I've been having problems with logging in lately and uploading that chapter was a nightmare. So for my tardiness, I will put up the next chapter the day after tomorrow (that's the second day not the third). I really hope you enjoy this chapter! I enjoyed writing it. I don't own Digimon but I do own Mae, the Crest Guardians and the Light Masters if you want to use them just ask. Okay enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 17. 'Mending walls'  
  
"You do realize that you will not just have to fight me." Ebonwumon boomed.  
  
"Who else is there?" Azulongmon questioned.  
  
"Us." Daemon appeared out of a purple pool of ripped space in the ground, following him was Devimon and Ladydevimon.  
  
"No!" TK yelled.  
  
"Not to mention the D-Reaper." Daemon added.  
  
There was a brief moment of hesitation from all sides. And then as thunder clapped in the sky, the battle began. And the rain started to come down. Stingmon and X-Veemon along with Angemon, Angewomon, Aquilamon and Ankillmon all charged at the members of the Daemon Corps. Gennai, Mae and the rest of the Crest Guardians were concentrating on Ebonwumon as well as the D-Reaper.  
  
The worlds around them were suffering already. Tremors went unnoticed by the fighters, and the rain still poured. The walls of the worlds shifted continuously, and warped until they tore and let intruders into the Digital world. Humans would run in accidentally and Digimon would find themselves doing the same thing. Buildings were beginning to crumble and break down. Screams were drowned out by the furious thunder and rain.  
  
Ken looked around him at the chaos going on. His eyes were tired and his breathing was shallow. And then all of a sudden, as if someone had turned the mute button on, he heard nothing but his shallow breathing. The thumping of his heart. And he and everyone and everything moved in slow motion. He turned to look at the battle between the Guardians and Ebonwumon. And then at the battle between his friends and the Daemon Corps. He blinked slowly, splashing away the beads of rain that had dripped down his indigo bangs. The worlds were dying, and so would his friends if something was not done about it. He had to do something. But what? What could he do? He was so weak and in so much pain from the gash in his side as well as so cold. He only noticed now how cold the rain was. Then a blinding white rip tore some more of the fabric down. The fabric which kept two worlds separate for good reasons. And then it hit him. In a second, it hit him. He would stop the rips, he would mend them. How? That knowledge came to him in a rush and it felt like he had known for centuries. And in that second everything came back to him in a rush. All the noise around him filled his ears.  
  
"Yolei?" Ken called out and she ran to him. He looked at her. Her hair was drenched and stringy, her glasses had been removed and she was shivering. Her lips had a blue/purple ting to them.  
  
"Yes Ken-chan?"  
  
"Yolei, will you make sure nothing interrupts me?"  
  
"What do you mean? What are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm going to mend the rips in space. Tell Davis and the others."  
  
"But Ken you don't know how!"  
  
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on her cold lips. Then he held her close so their cheeks were touching and he whispered in her ear, "If anything happens to me, I want you to know, I love you Yolei. I always have and I may not have always shown it, but I really do care for you. I'm sorry if I seemed closed off at times and thank you for bearing with me through the tough times." He pulled away slightly so he could look into her eyes; "I love you Yolei." He stressed.  
  
"Ken," she cried, "Ken, please! I love you! Don't, nothing will happen to you!" she held him tight and tried to keep herself from crying.  
  
He broke away from her and looked at the battle again. Azulongmon and Ebonwumon had prepared an attack at the same time. Both attacks flew through the air, in a rush to strike their target first. In a second of impacting with each other, the attacks seemed to freeze in time before colliding and causing a massive explosion. "LOOK OUT!" Mae screamed. They all shielded their eyes from the blinding white flash and flew backwards when the pulse of energy blasted them.  
  
Ken got up and walked towards the nearest rip. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes as he brought his hands up to eye level. Taking in another breath he levitated to the height of the rip in the sky so he was directly in front of it. Within his chest pocket, a bright pink light shone from his Crest, and surrounded him and shot out the palms of his hands. With the beams of light he traced the tears of space and as he did so, like a zip they came together, mending and healing.  
  
Yolei looked up at him and wanted so badly for all this to end. But from the look of things that would be a while.  
  
"Karrriiii!" that voice found its way back and TK, Angemon and Angewoman all turned their attention to Kari. She was clutching her head, crying out, "NO! Don't take me!"  
  
Ken snapped his eyes open, and noticed the rip in the sky, exposing a part of the Dark Ocean. He levitated his way there and began mending that rip too. He saw the huge scaly, gray creature. It had massive torn wings and deadly red eyes. It wasn't too clear as, it was still shadowed slightly and before it could exit the rip, Ken closed it. A scream was heard from the Under-Sea Master just before he was cut off from this reality.  
  
Kari fell to her knees and started sobbing, while TK consoled her. Cody and Davis ran to Yolei, "That was close." Davis sighed.  
  
"He can't do all this by himself!" Yolei sobbed, "He's not strong enough. Look at all the rips! He can't fix all of them!"  
  
"I-Er--" Cody tried to find something to tell her, something that would make it all right, but nothing came to mind.  
  
"Ebonwumon!" Azulongmon boomed, "Enough of this. You are destroying the two worlds you are supposed to be helping protect! What has caused you to do this?"  
  
"Silence fool!" Ebonwumon snapped back, "You could not begin to understand what my plan is!" He sent out a Crimson attack, which hit Azulongmon dead on. The god digimon was shot backwards, yelling out in pain. Thunder rumbled in the sky once more, as Ebonwumon prepared himself for another attack.  
  
"Mae!" Courage shouted.  
  
The emerald clad woman turned her attention to the Crest Guardian, "What is it?"  
  
"Help us with the D-Reaper!"  
  
Mae ran over to the group and frowned, "Why do you need my help? You have plenty of power right here-"  
  
"Mae," Love whispered, "do you notice something odd about the D-Reaper?"  
  
Mae looked closer at the red shadow, and found herself looking into the thing it's self. She gasped, "It does have a Digi-Core."  
  
"It's one of Ebonwumon's. But he's not feeding off its power. He's feeding Ebonwumon power or something else."  
  
"He did corrupt Ebonwumon!" Mae confirmed.  
  
"We have to destroy the Digi-core in order to stop both of them and save Ebonwumon." Light informed her.  
  
"But our powers don't penetrate it like yours does." Hope added.  
  
Mae took a deep breath and shot a streaming blast of white light into the D- Reaper. It shrieked a high-pitch, glass-breaking scream as the beam penetrated it and found it's way to the Digi-Core, which exploded after a few minutes. The D-Reaper rippled and exploded into data, which rejoined and faded away into the ground. Ebonwumon shrieked and collapsed.  
  
Then all the Guardians turned to the battle of the Daemon Corps and Digidestined. The Daemon Corps turned to them and noticed Mae holding out her hands, a purple flame in the palm of one. "Go." She warned, "But if you so much as think the words, ' Take-over, Darkness and Earth' I'll destroy you."  
  
They needed no more invitations, and quickly they disappeared.  
  
Everyone's attentions feel to the indigo-haired teenager, hovering in the sky. A pink aura surrounding him, his hair was flying wildly around his face. Pink lightning danced from his hands to the rips, sealing them once again. In a tense second, his body contorted into a fetal position and then stiffened out like a star. As this happened all the pink that was surrounding him, left him in streams to other rips in space, sealing them off too. Yolei, Davis and Stingmon gasped when his form faded or flickered like a television. He flickered once and took the form of the Emperor then flickered again and took on his original form. This happened several times before he disappeared all together.  
  
"NO!" They screamed.  
  
"Where did he go?" Yolei cried.  
  
"KEN-CHAN!" Stingmon yelled.  
  
Davis fell to his knees, "Ken." He sighed.  
  
"What's that?" Aquilamon yelled as he looked up into the sky.  
  
"Oh my God!" Kari gasped, as she saw Ken's form fall, limply to the ground.  
  
Stingmon raced up to the falling Ken and caught him in his arms, taking him to the safe ground. He was unconscious though and that concerned everyone.  
  
"Is he--?" Yolei couldn't bring herself to saying it.  
  
"Dead?" Mae finished, "No." she frowned, "He's just, out his body."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Ken landed hard on a black tile floor, and a spotlight illuminated him. His breath was hard and his eyes were so heavy. He slowly lifted his head, but only saw his hair hanging in front of him.  
  
"It is weak." A woman's voice said.  
  
"It is, but it has managed to save the worlds." This time it was a man's voice.  
  
Ken brushed away his hair and tried to stand but found it was just easier to stay on his knees. He saw three people in white sitting in front of him. "Who are you?"  
  
"We," they all spoke together, "are the Light Masters."  
  
"I see." Ken mumbled to himself, a bite of bitterness in his tone.  
  
"It is angry with us." The younger of the two men said.  
  
"IT has a name you know." Ken barked.  
  
"Yes Ken Ichijouji. Also, Kenny-boy, Child of Kindness, Child of Cruelty, The Rocket, and of course, The Digimon Emperor." The man in the middle said.  
  
"Ken is just fine."  
  
"Do you know why you are here Ken?" they all asked together. Their voices created a drunken feeling in Ken; it was echoy and disjointed.  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"You have given yourself to the two worlds. You gave your life for them."  
  
"I'm dead?" Ken breathed.  
  
"No. Not yet. But if we had not taken you, you would have died."  
  
"You, you saved me?" Ken asked, "Why?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I was the Emperor, I almost destroyed the Digital world. I would think you would hate me."  
  
"We are not that petty. We understand the balance now. The balance in all people and things. Mae helped us understand. You fight a great battle with yourself everyday. We understand this. You are not supposed to die now. You have much to do still, much to learn. Much love to give and much to receive. We brought your Brother back here so he would stop the prophecy coming to pass. We did not do all that just to have you die and not see all your good work."  
  
Ken stood there dumbstruck, letting it all sink in. And before he could stop himself, he was crying. Tears rolled down his cheeks onto his trembling lips. His shoulders were shrugging up and down and he couldn't help but sob out loud. "Why?" he screamed. "Will it ever end?"  
  
"Yes Ken. It ended today. We want to thank you for what you did. And now it is time for you to be with the people who love you."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Stingmon held Ken protectively in his arms and when Ken opened his eyes he sighed with relief. "Ken-chan you are all right?"  
  
"Yes Stingmon, I'm fine."  
  
"KEN!" Davis and Yolei chorused.  
  
"I want to go home." He mumbled as he hugged the two most important people in his life.  
  
"Done." Hope smiled as he opened a portal for them.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Ken: Is it done?  
  
Nic: No not yet.  
  
Kaiser: Now what are you planning?  
  
Osamu: Well if she told you that, why would she write it?  
  
Wormmon: True.  
  
Nic: I have loose ends to tie up and something special at the end. 


	19. Clean up

(A/N: Okay thanks to everyone for the reviews. And I know what most of you are thinking, "Where is Osamu?" well you'll get your answer next chapter I promise. In the mean time, enjoy and I'll see you again Thursday!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 18. 'Clean up'  
  
Ken walked into his room, and looked at it as if it were the first time he was seeing it. He climbed up to his bed, and collapsed onto his pillow. Yolei looked up at him and noticed that he was already asleep and Wormmon was snuggled in his arms. She exited his room and closed the door quietly behind her. The others had already being dropped off by thanks of Hopes' portal. She however, insisted that she accompany Ken home. Davis agreed and was determined to do the same. Yolei didn't argue, as she was too tired and by the look on Ken's face, he was just glad he had two people who cared enough to take him home. She sighed as she moved into the TV area where Davis was. "How is he doing?"  
  
Yolei looked back at the closed door; "He's sleeping."  
  
"Good. He must really need it."  
  
The lavender haired girl sat down next to Davis and stretched out, "I wonder when his parents are going to get back."  
  
"They are probably freaking out after all that stuff that went on. They probably went out looking for him."  
  
Yolei yawned, "Well, all the more reason for us to stay here and explain everything when they get back. That's all Ken needs, is for them to bombard him with questions the moment he wakes up."  
  
Davis looked out the window from where he was sitting; "It's a mess out there."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm not surprised. We'll have to go back to the Digital World to clean everything up."  
  
Davis heaved a great sigh; "There won't be much for us to do. Mae said that her, Gennai and the other Crest Guardians would do most of the work."  
  
Yolei rested her head on the back of the sofa, "Thank goodness!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Kari entered her bedroom to find her brother sitting on her bed. He stood up quickly and gave his sister a warm hug. "Kari!" he breathed, "I was so worried about you!"  
  
"I'm fine Tai." She smiled weakly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
The bearer of the Crest of Light sat down, her brother followed suit and looked at her as she took in a deep breath, "It's a long story."  
  
~~~~****~~~~ Ken stretched out on his bed. He had lied to Yolei; he wasn't really asleep just yet. He felt bad for making her think that, but he just couldn't face anyone right now. He needed some time. Some time to go over everything in his head. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes to stare up at the ceiling. So much had happened in such a small period of time. Darkness had called his name again and he had answered it. This troubled him the most. If it was that easy for Ebonwumon to turn him back to the Emperor, then what was stopping himself from doing it again? "I'm stopping it." Ken said to himself.  
  
He looked at Wormmon, who was sleeping soundly. As the thought of the Emperor came to him, the image of him and the Sorceress together floated in front of his eyes and then Yoleis' heartbroken face when she saw them together. He hurt her badly. Almost two years ago, they had promised each other that they would save themselves for one another. They had kept their promise out of love for each other, and when they were both ready they would give themselves to each other. Now Ken felt that he did not deserve Yolei or her love for him.  
  
He rolled over onto his side and started to remember images of the darkness that plagued the Digital world and the rips in space and the chaos that he caused. He closed his eyes tight, in hopes to black it out, but to no avail. "I'm sorry." He whispered to the air around him and since his body could not give anymore, he fell into a deep dreamless sleep.  
  
Yolei and Davis, who had nodded off, quickly woke up when they heard voices and the sound of keys at the door. They stood up quickly and saw Mr. and Mrs. Ichijouji walk into their home. Mrs. Ichijouji turned to see Yolei and Davis standing in their TV area. She gasped, "What's happened? Where's Ken?"  
  
"Mrs. Ichijouji," Yolei soothed, "Ken's fine. He's in his room sleeping. He's been though a lot over the past few days and we think it would be best for him if you didn't ask too many questions or make a big fuss over it. I think it would be best for him to try and put it all behind him and move on."  
  
Both Ken's parents nodded. Mr. Ichijouji looked at Ken's bedroom door and back at his two best friends, "What did happen? We saw large rips in the sky and horizon and monsters and-"  
  
Davis cut in, "It's a long story but we can explain."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Tai looked at his sister seriously, "Wow. That was really big. How's Ken doing now?"  
  
"He should be fine after some rest, I hope."  
  
"And what about you? The Under Sea Master tried to come for you and-"  
  
"I'm okay Tai thanks. But I could do with some sleep."  
  
Tai nodded and left her room, closing the door behind him quietly.  
  
Kari sighed and Gatomon looked at her sleepily, "What's wrong Kari?"  
  
"I just hope Ken can deal with all this. Remember how hard it was for him all those years ago?"  
  
"That's why I love you Kari, you care about everyone so much."  
  
Kari giggled, "Now you sound like TK." She kissed Gatomon on the head and climbed into bed.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae, Gennai and the other Crest Guardians looked around at the destruction left on the Digital world. Gennai glanced at Mae who was looking very pale. "Mae?" he gently asked, but her response was her passing out into his arms. He looked to the other Crest Guardians, "She's exhausted and needs rest, will you make sure Ebonwumon stays put until she and the rest of the Digidestined come back?"  
  
"Yes," Love replied, "but why does she insist that the Digidestined be here when she questions him?"  
  
"She wants them to know. To know why he did what he did, and how it was done. Also, for him to clarify that he was being controlled. It's a closure thing."  
  
"I see." Knowledge nodded once.  
  
"You should get her to her home." Friendship added.  
  
Gennai looked down at his lover and back up at the Crest Guardians, "You'll stay and-"  
  
"Yes," Courage smiled, "go."  
  
Gennai gave them a nod and walked towards the horizon, and as he did so, faded from view.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
"Um, I see." Mr. Ichijouji mumbled after Davis finished filling him in on the events of the past few days. Of course he had done some editing when it came to Ken's involvement. Namely him becoming the Emperor and the almost having sex with the Sorceress. Otherwise they pretty much knew the whole story.  
  
Mrs. Ichijouji looked at her only son's room. She heaved a heavy sigh and turned back to Yolei and Davis, "I really admire you kids."  
  
Yolei cocked her head to the side, "How's that?"  
  
"It's just, you have been through so much, seen so many things, but you are still standing. I don't think I could live through all those things. You are very strong."  
  
Yolei smiled weakly, and thought to herself, 'You have no idea just how strong your son is.'  
  
"Ken will be alright won't he?" Mr. Ichijouji asked, "I mean, he won't sleep for two days like he is in a coma will he?"  
  
"I'm sorry?" Davis frowned.  
  
"Well, it's just that when he came back after running away when he was a boy, he slept for days and then when he woke up, he was very disorientated." Mrs. Ichijouji informed them.  
  
"Oh." Yolei looked to Davis quickly with a worried glance; "We didn't know that." 'I hope he will be alright then.' She thought to herself.  
  
"I'm sure he will be alright." Davis said, "A bit tired and maybe a bit angry, but I think otherwise he'll be okay."  
  
"Angry?" Mr. Ichijouji questioned.  
  
"Well, a lot of things happened to him that made him angry, so-"  
  
"I understand."  
  
"You two look awfully tired, shouldn't you be getting home too?" Mrs. Ichijouji smiled softly at them.  
  
Yolei nodded and stood up, Davis followed, "Yes. Thank you for listening."  
  
"Thank you for telling us." Mr. Ichijouji said as he showed them out. After he closed the door he looked to Ken's door and then his wife, "Do you get the feeling that something's were left out of the story?"  
  
She nodded, "But I think there are good reasons for it."  
  
Her husband sighed and looked at the floor, "I just hate that he has secrets."  
  
"I know, but if he does not want us to know, we should not try to make him tell us. I think it would be best if we listened to Yolei and Davis, and didn't question him too much."  
  
"You're right."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Gennai lay her gently on her bed and leaned over to kiss her forehead. She blinked a few times and smiled softly at him. "I'm sorry for everything I put you though." She whispered as fresh tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Hush my love." Gennai cooed, "It does not matter anymore."  
  
She turned on her side to look out the window. The Guardian turned to leave her, but she called him back, "Wait." He stopped and turned back to look at her.  
  
"Stay with me?"  
  
He smiled and made his way to her bed, lying next to her, he stroked her arm till she fell into a deep slumber.  
  
"All will be answered when you awaken." Gennai whispered before he too drifted off into a restful sleep.  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Nic: GA! I hate this chapter!  
  
Ken: Then why did you type it?  
  
Nic: Because I had to. It's one of those in between chapters. One that has to be done but is not great.  
  
Kaiser: Huh?  
  
Nic: Well, they all needed sleep and people needed answers, so this was the chapter for the sleep thing, and next chapter (which is better) gets answers.  
  
Osamu: Oh, I see.  
  
Nic: Oh, yeah which reminds me Osamu, you and Ken have a 'heart-to-heart' soon.  
  
Wormmon: Aww brotherly love.  
  
Mae: If that's what you wanna call it. 


	20. Answers

(A/N: Thanks for all the reviews I got guys! Woo hoo one more chapter to go! Okay, Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon but I do own Mae, and the Crest Guardians. I hope you enjoy this chapter!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 19. 'Answers'  
  
Ken blinked a couple of times before opening his eyes completely. He turned over and looked at his clock on the wall. 6:30. "Hmm, AM or PM?" He mused to himself. He sat up slowly, feeling how his body protested every move he made, and the gash that had healed when his Crest had given him the power to mend the rips, twinged. Wormmon shifted and woke up.  
  
"Ken-chan, you're awake." He looked up at his best friend with his blue orbs and smiled with them, "How do you feel?"  
  
"Like I got hit with a truck and then run over again with it." Ken mumbled while rubbing his head. "How long have I been asleep?"  
  
"About two days. Your parents have been in and out checking on you."  
  
Ken nodded to himself and began to climb down the ladder along side his bed. He stretched his arms over his head and headed out the door, leaving it ajar for Wormmon to be able to follow.  
  
"Ken dear, you're awake!" his mother said happily.  
  
He nodded looking out the window. The sun looked like it was setting. "Sorry I slept so much."  
  
"Nonsense." His father smiled, "You needed it. Yolei and Davis came around first thing yesterday morning, to tell us what happened."  
  
Ken averted his eyes and looked at his feet, "How much-? What did they tell- ? I mean what did they say?"  
  
His mother rested her hand on his shoulder, "Just what had happened and why you would be so tired."  
  
Ken felt a wave of tension enter him, had they told his parents about the Emperor? What must his parents be thinking?  
  
"They called a few hours ago, they asked if you would call them back as soon as you woke up." His father informed him.  
  
He nodded his head and picked up the extension to talk in his room. His hand shook as he dilled Yolei's number, and on the first ring, he quickly hung up. He couldn't talk to her. Not after what he had done to her. He took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his indigo hair and dilled Davis' number. It rang three times, before Davis answered. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Davis, it's Ken-"  
  
"Ken! Good! How you doing?"  
  
"To be honest, crappy." Ken sighed deeply.  
  
"It's gonna be okay Ken. You'll see. Look, we all need to get to the Digital World so we can start cleaning things up and get some answers. You up to it?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so."  
  
"Okay well, everyone is meeting at the school, so be here ASAP."  
  
"Okay, Davis, what day is it?"  
  
Ken heard a quiet chuckle on the other end, "Dude Ken, when you sleep you do get disorientated. It's Tuesday. We all missed school today."  
  
"Oh right, thanks. Yeah, I guess with everything that went on, I just lost track of the days."  
  
"That's understandable. Hey Ken?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How are you really?"  
  
There was a long pause before Ken answered, "Honestly? Not well Davis. Not well at all. I'm scared. I'm scared of the Darkness and I'm scared of what effects it had. But most of all, I'm scared of loosing Yolei."  
  
Davis sighed, "Listen Ken, she'll forgive you, don't worry about it. In fact I think she already has."  
  
"Yeah, but can I forgive myself?" there was another long uncomfortable pause before Ken went on, "Davis, did you tell my parents about, about the Emperor?"  
  
"No dude, never."  
  
"Thanks Davis."  
  
"No problem buddy."  
  
"I'll see you in a few. Bye."  
  
"See you. Bye Ken."  
  
Ken put the phone back on the cradle and sat at his desk. "Ken?" Wormmon said quietly.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
Ken turned around and picked his partner up off the floor and held him in his lap. "No Wormmon."  
  
Wormmon cast his eyes down as Ken got up and headed to the kitchen. He knew Ken was lying, but even if he did push the issue, he knew Ken would not talk about it. It's not that Ken didn't trust Wormmon or want to talk about it, but it was just that Ken didn't know how to talk about it.  
  
Ken leaned into the fridge and grabbed a sandwich that his mother had made for him earlier and moved to the Balcony where his parents were. "I just called Davis and he said that I'm needed in the Digital World again. We all are. So I have to-"  
  
"Ken." His mother sighed, "You just woke up and you were so tired after everything that went on in the Digital World, can't they do without you?"  
  
"No mama, I have to go." Ken looked at the horizon of the city. Buildings were missing and streets lay littered with abandoned cars and rubble. 'If not for them, I have to go for me.' He thought silently.  
  
"Alright dear." His mother heaved reluctantly, "But what time will you be back?"  
  
"I'm not sure mama, it might take a few hours."  
  
"A few hours!" she looked at her son's face and didn't continue to argue. Something there in his eyes screamed that he needed to do this. She gave him a soft smile and said, "Alright, I'll keep your dinner in the oven for you."  
  
"Thanks mama." He turned to his father, "Bye papa."  
  
"Be careful son."  
  
"I will."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Yolei hovered around the computer, pacing back and forth occasionally in front of Cody. The youngest Digidestined was becoming rather irritated with her and grabbed her wrist as she walked past him again, "Hey Yolei, do you think you could sit for a while?"  
  
"Sorry Cody," she mumbled, "it's just that, well-"  
  
Davis walked in quickly and sat down in front of the computer, "Ken's on his way."  
  
"How is he Davis?" Yolei asked hurriedly.  
  
"Um, well, he's okay, Yolei, but-" the goggle wearing teen looked around the room and motioned Yolei to a corner. She got up and followed him. He spoke in a low whisper, "He's afraid that you won't forgive him."  
  
Yolei's eyes widened and filled with tears, but she blinked them back quickly, "But, I do!"  
  
"I know that and you know that Yolei, but he doesn't."  
  
"But I told him. I-"  
  
"Yolei, you know how he is, he won't forgive himself for this for a very long time, if ever."  
  
"I'll-" but Yolei never finished her sentence, because her attention fell on the confused and somewhat angst teen that had just entered the room. His crystal blue eyes fell on Yolei's amber ones and he quickly looked away from them. She moved over to him and took him by the arm, "Ken I-"  
  
"Okay since we are all here, we should get going." Cody said pulling out his D-3, "Digital port open!"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Mae looked up at Ebonwumon with compassion in her eyes.  
  
"Mae," the firebird sighed, "can you ever forgive me?"  
  
"I know that we have never gotten along or seen eye to eye, but yes, I do forgive you, if you forgive me. The real forgiveness however, will be from Ken."  
  
"I don't think he could ever-"  
  
"You would be surprised at what that young man is capable of."  
  
Outside the huge temple Gennai stood waiting for the Digidestined. And from a TV set, they appeared in front of him. "Hello Digidestined," Gennai said in a rather tired tone, "Come with me."  
  
They followed Gennai into Ebonwumon's huge temple. Ken shuddered involuntarily; he did not have many good memories of this place. Two huge wooden doors with large phoenix's carved in them, burst open, leading to a large room with crimson walls and fire torches hung at the walls. Mae stood in front of Ebonwumon along with the other Crest Guardians and greeted the Digidestined.  
  
"Ebonwumon has some explanations to give." She looked to Ken, "And some apologies too."  
  
"Ken," Ebonwumon bowed slightly, "Can you ever forgive me for the things I have done to you?"  
  
"Do you think he will? What? After all the psychological damage you put him though?" Yolei shouted at the god Digimon.  
  
"It's alright Yolei," Ken said quietly, "I forgive him. He was being used like I was."  
  
"That is correct Ken. A few months ago, the D-Reaper rose from the soil of the Digital World and found me. He took advantage of my feelings towards humans and my attitude to the other Holy Beasts, and offered me a way to gain power. He promised me power and a way to break away from the other Holy Beasts. All I had to do was give him a Digi-core. Like a fool I did so willingly, but what I didn't know is that he would use it to control me instead of feed me power. Mae here had her vision and tried to convince the other Holy Beasts that I was up to no good, but due to her past, they did not believe her, unfortunately. I was a fool and have seen the error of my ways!"  
  
"So now what happens to the D-Reaper?" TK asked.  
  
Gennai turned to him and hung his head; "He has gone into hiding again, and hopefully hibernation too."  
  
"What I want to know is, what Code was supposably missing from my memory, and why could Mae enter the Dark Ocean as the Sorceress, but not when she was banished there?" Ken questioned looking to his Guardian and Ebonwumon.  
  
"Well," Mae started, "the Code was there in your memory and that is why Ebonwumon did not need me like he thought he did. Do you remember when I was the Sorceress and I placed our hands together? I was taking a piece of DNA through your skin in order to take the Code from you to get into the Dark Ocean. I think that's how you acquired the last Code from me. I didn't realize it would give the Code to you."  
  
"Okay," Ken sighed, "So how do we fix all that out there?" His voice was clinical and he did not make eye contact with anyone.  
  
Ebonwumon sighed, "There is a way, but it seems to be the easy way out. I should fix it-"  
  
"No." Mae said, "It would be best if they used the power of their Crests."  
  
"Are you sure?" Ebonwumon said ashamed.  
  
"I think it would be better." Reliability voiced.  
  
"Very well." The great firebird nodded.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Cody asked.  
  
"You'll see," Armadillomon whispered to his partner.  
  
"Come with us please." Light said leading everyone outside.  
  
They exited the temple and were transported to the area amidst most of the destruction. Ken took in the site with a heavy heart and shook with guilt. It was still dark, with thunderclouds hanging morbidly above them. Scorch marks left their signature on large areas of the land and forest. He balled his hands into fists and moved closer to the Guardians and his friends. Wormmon looked up at his partner, "Ken-chan are you alright?"  
  
Ken didn't make eye-contact with the little digimon, but kept focused on the mass destruction around him, "No, Wormmon, I'm not."  
  
"We need you to make a circle and join hands." Friendship informed them. "We will then make another circle around you. Then just relax and let what happens happen."  
  
"So we're just supposed to trust you completely?" Yolei put her hands on her hips.  
  
Friendship nodded, "Yes."  
  
She shrugged, "Okay."  
  
Their digimon looked on as they formed the double circle, worried for their partner's sake. Wormmon whimpered.  
  
"What's wrong buddy?" Veemon asked.  
  
"I'm just worried about Ken, he isn't completely rested, and this may take a lot out of him."  
  
"I hear ya, but I'm sure the Guardians know what they are doing, so you don't have to worry."  
  
Wormmon nodded, while his eyes locked on Ken.  
  
All the Digidestined closed their eyes and felt themselves rise slowly from the earth, the colours of their Crests glowing all around them, while their personal Crest Guardian looked up at them, feeding them just that extra bit of power. And like a rocket, the beams of light surrounding all of them, shot up into the sky, piercing the black clouds and forming a brilliant white orb, which exploded and as it pulsed out, it repaired the Digital world. And not only the Digital world, the Crest Guardians formed a portal where the beam flowed into the real world, mending its wounds as well. When all the energy was used up they floated to the ground, still buzzing slightly.  
  
Ken was the first to stand up. He walked over to Wormmon and picked him up, intending to keep walking, but Yolei stopped him. "Ken? Where are you going?"  
  
He turned to face her, and then quickly dropped his gaze to the ground, so he didn't have to look into her eyes, "I don't know. Just to be alone."  
  
"Ken? What's wrong?" A deep frown marred her features.  
  
He opened his mouth to answer, but he couldn't find the words and so turned to walk away from her.  
  
"Ken-chan!"  
  
He kept walking, ignoring her calls to him. Mae came up to her and stood next to her, looking in the direction Ken had just been. "You just have to give him some time, Yolei. He has a lot to digest and a lot to forgive himself for."  
  
"I want to hold him and tell him it will be alright." The bearer of Love and Sincerity said.  
  
"You will, just give him the time he needs."  
  
Yolei sighed and nodded.  
  
"There are some things I need to talk to him about though."  
  
Mae and Yolei turned to the person who had just spoken, "Osamu," Mae choked, "Are you sure he-"  
  
He shoved an old piece of parchment into her hands and marched forward.  
  
"I have to. If not for myself, but for him." The violet haired youth said as he started in the direction Ken had taken.  
  
Yolei looked over Mae's shoulder at the old paper and began to read aloud; "The one touched with darkness will only be saved by his flesh and blood. To fail, all worlds would perish at the dark ones' hands. The brother is the key." Yolei blinked at Mae, "Osamu had the scroll all this time?"  
  
"It would seem he found it one day in my library. All worked out in the end then."  
  
Yolei stared in the direction of Osamu, "If that's how you view it."  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Osamu: Finally I come back.  
  
Ken: Well she needs them to talk.  
  
Kaiser: Took you long enough to finish that chapter.  
  
Nic: Sorry, I have just been really busy and listless.  
  
Mae: But no writer's block?  
  
Nic: Nope none, not for this entire story.  
  
Ken: So it's finished?  
  
Nic: No, one more chapter.  
  
Osamu: Right, fine, and then we get a break right?  
  
Nic: Hmm depends on how soon I want to start the sequel to this.  
  
Osamu: *-*; 


	21. Time to heal

(A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews, personal thanks will be given at the end of this chapter. I really hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it. It will be a while before the sequel comes out, I've only done two chapters and I've been really busy with college and other things. Hmm thanks for pointing that out Gaia, I was always unsure in the show when they said Crest and never Digiegg. But thanks for clearing that up. Thank you all so much again. Here it is the last chapter, enjoy!)  
  
"Weight of the worlds" 20. 'Time to heal'  
  
Ken walked on in the digital world, no destination in mind. Silence settled upon him and Wormmon while he moved like a robot to the edge of a cliff over looking a large blanket of trees. He sighed and sat down, closing his heavy eyelids, then he tightened them, as if to push pain away from them. He slowly opened them and stared out over the land, not really seeing it. Wormmon looked up at him, at his eyes and noticed that they were almost dead, and very broken. He watched as his partner blinked slowly and then, hearing something in the distance, he looked behind Ken, seeing a figure coming towards them.  
  
Ken took a deep breath and said loudly, "I came out here to be alone, so please just go."  
  
"I can't do that."  
  
Ken's head lifted slightly at the voice and Wormmon noticed a flash of something in his eyes. A flash of what he wasn't sure. Happiness? Anger? Confusion? He didn't know.  
  
Osamu sat down next to his brother. "Ken, I-I'm sorry-"  
  
Ken stood up and turned away from his brother, "Just go."  
  
Osamu frowned, both anger and confusion evident on his face, "Ken? I can't go, I need to talk to you-"  
  
"You can't go now, but it was alright for you to go then?" Ken's words were harsh and cold, so cold that they almost froze Osamu's heart.  
  
"Ken, I'm sorry for that-"  
  
"You left when I needed you! You were my only friend Osamu! You were the only one who noticed I existed! And then you left. You left me with all this pain and guilt and anger. I never really wanted you to go, but you did. Why are you here? I thought I was over you but just seeing you again, brings up all those old feelings!"  
  
Ken spun to stare at his brother, expecting an answer, but Osamu remained silent, thinking of how he should answer that.  
  
"Why are you here?!" Ken screamed.  
  
"I, I don't know Ken. I'm sorry if me being here brings you pain. I never wanted to hurt you-"  
  
"You never wanted to hurt me? So you never intended to hurt me when you smacked me that day when we found MY digivice?"  
  
Osamu stepped back, "Ken, I never wanted to, I mean, I was angry and I'm sorry, but-"  
  
Ken turned around again and whispered, "Just go."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wish you had just stayed dead."  
  
"Ken!" Wormmon snapped, "You know you don't mean that."  
  
Ken stood still for a moment, before he collapsed to his knees, shaking with emotions so strong, so strong that they bubbled over and were released with a painful cry. Ken released it with all the energy he had left, and it caused all flying Digimon to take flight from the trees, echoing into the infinite sky. "I'm sorry Osamu, for everything." He said quietly.  
  
Osamu put his arms around his brother, "As am I Ken-chan, as am I."  
  
They stayed like that for minutes, days, possibly even months. They paid no attention to the clock. Ken pulled away slightly, "Are you here for good?"  
  
Osamu sighed, "I don't think so. The Light Masters brought me here, and their intention was for me to stop you from the Darkness. That's been done, so I think they are going to leave me to rest."  
  
"And again you are taken away from me."  
  
"Ken, promise me, you'll move on. You won't dwell on the past."  
  
Ken looked away and then back at his sibling, "I'll try Osamu."  
  
Osamu hugged his brother tightly one last time and then got up; "I won't say good-bye brother, just so long for now."  
  
Ken nodded with a weak smile and watched his brother walk to the horizon and fade from view.  
  
Wormmon allowed Ken to sit in silence, wandering if and waiting for tears to spill from his best friend's eyes, but non-came. Only that dead, broken look in his eyes could be seen, and it broke his heart.  
  
"I thought I might find you here. This is my favorite place in the Digital World." Mae said as she walked over to her charge. He remained silent. She stood next to him, looking out over the forest canopy. "You have to forgive yourself one day you know."  
  
He continued to look out, "One day."  
  
"She loves you dearly, you know that don't you?"  
  
"I can't offer her anything."  
  
"Why do you say that? You can offer her your love, your kindness, your gentleness-"  
  
"And my darkness, and pain, and guilt-"  
  
"Ken, focus on the good. You told yourself that you would do that one-day. Do you remember? It was the day you went to find Wormmon. You have to do that, or you will never have the happiness you deserve. The happiness you need."  
  
"How could she forgive me for what I did? For what HE did?"  
  
"She loves you."  
  
"I love her so much, but will that ever be enough?"  
  
"Ken, it will always be enough."  
  
A small smile flickered in Ken's eyes.  
  
"Go to her."  
  
Ken looked into Mae's eyes; "I want you to know, I never intend on coming back to the Digital world ever again."  
  
Mae was about to protest, but though better of it, "I understand." She nodded and gave him a small smile.  
  
"I know it was you who was trying to contact me in my dreams."  
  
Mae sighed, "I tried, but you didn't remember them, so I had to find you myself. I'm sorry for the nightmares, they were not my intentions."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry too, for blaming you."  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
A week later they all met at the TV station. Mae had mailed them, requesting them to meet her there. She stepped out of a portal, still wearing her Guardian dress and smiled at the group. She looked to Gatomon, "I can not promise anything, but I will try."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Mae closed her eyes and held her hands outstretched. A cool breeze seemed to make it's way to her hands forming a transparent figure in front of her. She scrunched up her face in concentration, as the form in front of her became solid. She let go of the breath she was holding with a long sigh and looked down at Wizardmon with a smile. He looked up at her; "I don't know what to say, except, thank you."  
  
Mae nodded and grinned as Gatomon threw her arms around him, tears streaking both their cheeks. Kari too hugged the creature who had saved her life years ago. Then she turned to face Mae, "So what now?"  
  
"I'm moving to New York as soon as I sort out everything I need to in the Digital world."  
  
"What?" Ken snapped.  
  
"What about Gennai?" Yolei asked.  
  
"We will still see each other, but I don't really belong in the Digital World. The real world is my home. I think I'll be a writer. I have so many old things to sell; money won't be a problem. And I'll be happy here."  
  
"Are you sure?" TK questioned.  
  
"Yes. It's something I wish to do. Not something I am forced to do."  
  
"I wish you luck." Ken said, smiling at her.  
  
She grinned back, "Thank you. Thank you all."  
  
~~~~****~~~~ -One year later-  
  
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Ken- chan, happy birthday to you."  
  
Ken smiled a little embarrassed from his position on the soft, lilac sheets of the bed. He sat up and smiled wider as he noticed Yolei step out of the on suit bathroom of the hotel. She stood in the doorway, one hand leaning against the frame the other hanging by her side. Her long lavender hair was up in a twist, with little stray strands falling around her face. Her glasses were absent and a sexy smile had taken their place. She wore a white camisole, which was decorated with little laced roses near the corset type top. She removed the chiffon gown, letting it drop to the floor. Then she moved closer to the bed, and picked up two glasses of champagne and handed one glass to him. She took a sip and put it down gently on the table next to the bed. Then she looked at him with desire in her eyes, "Care to unwrap your present Ken-chan?"  
  
Ken laughed silently and smiled at her lovingly. She climbed onto the bed and stared into his eyes with longing and love, and the desire to make all his pains go away. She brought her soft hand to his face and tears sprang to her eyes. She leaned in to kiss his forehead, then his lips and then his neck. She pulled back and removed his silk blue shirt slowly. Once removed, she traced her hands over his chest, exploring it with her soft palm and fingers. Marking the shadows the soft candles threw over it. She lent forward and kissed his chest softly, then she went lower to his rock hard abs, where she looked up at him again.  
  
Ken couldn't get over how she was. So beautiful, so gentle, so kind, so loving, he tried so hard to mach that, and so far he was succeeding. Every movement she made was slow, and made to last. And then Ken noticed that tears were falling from his eyes. Tears of pain, tears of guilt, tears of happiness. Tears he had needed to cry for years, but never could. She kissed his lips so gently, so softly; it made him hunger for more. Then she kissed his tears, warming him all over. He ran his fingers though her hair that had long since come out of its twist. He held her tight, but at the same time, so gently that she had to check that he still had his arms around her. He kissed her neck as she leaned her head back and moaned slightly.  
  
After what seemed to be hours, they lay in each other's arms, still and calm, euphoria still in their veins. Yolei, long fallen asleep, rested her head on Ken's bare chest, while he ran his fingers through her long hair, thinking of the love and healing she had just given him. He was surprised when she had said that they were going to a hotel for his eighteenth birthday, but she had told him that all of the Digidestined were coming and that they had brought all their money together to spend the weekend. He realized just how lucky he really was and as Yolei shifted in her sleep, he smiled warmly down at her and kissed the top of her head. "I won't let anything happen to you Yolei. I'd rather die than see you suffer." He rested his head on his pillow and fell asleep with ease.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
On a train a young woman wearing baggy blue jeans and a tight black top sat looking out the window. She wore a black cap, her short brown wavy hair in a ponytail at the back of it. It was dark outside and every now and then, lights would flicker past and light up her face, showing her striking emerald eyes and rose coloured lips that were smiling. The train stopped and she walked onto the platform, heading up towards Central Park, before she made her way to her back to her apartment. She smiled as she remembered the day's events of sending off a book she had found. A book with a happy ending, and sending it off to Ken. She wandered how he was doing as she paused to look at the people passing by. She adjusted her backpack and started walking to her apartment, a smile firmly in place.  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Daemon paced in his cave-like lair, "She thinks she can threaten me does she? Well I'll just have to make sure that Mae doesn't get wind of my plans for revenge. No one locks Daemon away for years and gets away with it. NO ONE!"  
  
----~~~~----  
  
Nic: And it's done!  
  
Ken: But what is that at the end there? Impending doom?  
  
Nic: Yup, for the sequel.  
  
Kaiser: You're nuts.  
  
Nic: Thank you! ^-^  
  
Osamu: I'm dead again? I thought I was in the sequel!  
  
Mae: What makes you think you aren't?  
  
Nic: Mae! Shush!  
  
Mae: Sorry.  
  
Nic: Anyway, by the time this comes out, I should have already started on the sequel, but I won't post it till it's done.  
  
(Updated End notes.) Nic: Okay personal thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed every chapter or almost every chapter, that is; Gaia Lao, Nightsky, Talen Avalon, Kawaii Mimi-chan, Sylvyr Elf, Akino Ame, Authoress*Crest and Kiseki. Thanks so much guys! Also thanks goes out to those who read and reviewed that is; Blue-Jin, Heath999, Karislight, Mysticblackfairy, Ladychichi, Yo Ho and Fordina big thanks to you too!  
  
All of you rock so much and I promise I will work on the sequel every chance I get (I'm really busy at the mo.) I'll let you know when it comes out!  
  
Muses: *fall down and fall asleep. *  
  
Nic: I didn't work them that hard did I? 


End file.
